Heavy rains in northern India have caused flooding and landslides that killed at least 34 people, according to local officials and media. Many roads were severely damaged, bridges collapsed, electricity, water and telecommunications systems were almost paralyzed, while weather forecasts warned of continued prolonged rain.
In the area near the famous pilgrimage site of Vaishno devi, a landslide on August 26 killed at least 30 people. Previously, in the Kishtwar area of Kashmir, floods killed 60 people and left 200 missing in the past week alone.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said jammu city recorded 368mm of rainfall in one day. The agency forecasts that the Ladakh region will continue to see thunderstorms with strong winds, while Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir will face heavy rain. Many schools in Jammu, Himachal Pradesh and punjab were forced to close to ensure safety.
Floods on the rivers Tawi, Chenab, Jhelum and Basantar have flooded many low-lying areas. In Doda district, Jammu province alone, at least three people have died from floodwaters. Mr. Omar Abdullah - Prime Minister of Jammu & Kashmir - said that telecommunications services are almost "in existence" and restoration work is being urgently carried out.
Indian Minister of Science and Technology Jitendra Singh affirmed that the immediate priority is to restore electricity, water and mobile networks. He said that Madhopur Bridge was severely damaged on the morning of August 27, many vehicles fell when the bridge collapsed. Several expressways connecting Jammu with other parts of India have also been disrupted.
Local television broadcast images showing the vehicles being swept away, the houses were severely damaged. Rescue teams are still trying to reach isolated areas.
Floods also seriously affected neighboring Pakistan. The country's punjab province is facing a very high risk of flooding due to heavy rain combined with India's discharge of water from two dams. More than 150,000 people have been evacuated, including nearly 35,000 who have left under warnings since August 14.
