Rain Continues To Batter J&K; Floods, Landslides Keep Vaishno Devi Yatra Suspended For 11th Day In Row
Jhelum River floods parts of Kashmir; relief operations underway as Vaishno Devi pilgrimage remains halted for the 11th day.
Daily life in Jammu and Kashmir remains still as torrential rains continue to lash the valley, swelling rivers, triggering landslides, and forcing thousands to move away from their homes. The Mata Vaishno Devi shrine Yatra has been suspended for the 11th consecutive day, with authorities citing dangerous conditions along the trekking route.
Flood Threat in Srinagar and Budgam
In Budgam district, a breach along the Jhelum River at Shalina caused widespread flooding in nearby low-lying areas. The Srinagar administration issued urgent evacuation advisories for residents of Lasjan, Soiteng, Nowgam, Vyethpora, Golpora, Padshahibagh, and Mehjoornagar, urging them to move to safer locations.
Army launched drones to asses the situation.
#WATCH | Jammu & Kashmir | Indian Army launches a drone to assess the flood situation in Taigan, Budgam pic.twitter.com/j7I5lnM7JD
— ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2025
Relief centres have been set up for displaced families, with nodal officers appointed to ensure coordination. Announcements through mosques, local committees, and authorities were used to alert residents.
While water levels in some stretches of the Jhelum began receding by Thursday morning, the river still flows above the danger mark at Sangam in South Kashmir and Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar. Nearly 200 families were rescued from Budgam and Srinagar districts in joint operations by police, SDRF, and River Police teams.
Some houses were destroyed in Sulghar Panchayat following a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall in the Udhampur district.
#WATCH | Jammu & Kashmir | Houses destroyed in wards number 6 and 7 of Sulghar Panchayat following a landslide triggered by heavy rainfall in the Udhampur district. pic.twitter.com/VwPc2SRdMr
— ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2025
Omar Abdullah Slams Past Governments
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited flood-hit Lasjan on Thursday and sharply criticized previous administrations for failing to implement flood-prevention measures after the catastrophic 2014 Kashmir floods.
“Two days of rain should not make people live in fear of floods,” Abdullah said, blaming the lack of dredging of the Jhelum and its flood channels over the past 11 years. He assured residents that he would write to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to request a central team to assess the damage in the Valley.
Omar Abdullah Slams 11 Years of Negligence on Flood Preparedness#ChiefMinister Omar Abdullah has blamed 11 years of inaction for the fresh #flood scare in #Kashmir. He said that despite lessons from the 2014 deluge, authorities failed to dredge the #Jhelum and its flood… pic.twitter.com/T23nexNmzH
— Kashmir Life (@KashmirLife) September 4, 2025
“Thankfully, there has been no loss of life due to timely evacuation, but property damage could have been avoided. The last decade has been wasted,” he added.
Police on High Alert
Rescue operations continue across Srinagar, where families from Peerzo Island, Basant Bagh, Safakadal, Noorbagh, Habba Kadal, Tailbal, Hazratbal, and other flood-prone areas have been relocated. Police have also plugged potential breaches in embankments to prevent further inundation and set up round-the-clock helplines for public assistance.
Educational institutions across the Valley have remained closed for the past two days due to waterlogging and safety concerns.
Supreme Court's Remarks
Amid the devastation across northern India, the Supreme Court on Thursday issued notices to the Centre, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Punjab. The bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran expressed concern over illegal felling of trees in the Himalayan states, observing that deforestation may have worsened the impact of floods and landslides. The matter will be heard again in two weeks.
Landslides And Travel Disruptions
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), a critical lifeline to the Valley, remains closed due to landslides and damage caused by heavy rainfall. Long queues of stranded trucks and vehicles lined the route as clearing operations were underway. Alternative roads, including Mughal Road and Sinthan Road, have also been shut due to mudslides.
In Doda district, multiple landslides in the Gandoh-Bhalessa region have cut off connectivity, with restoration work in progress. Meanwhile, authorities opened the Baglihar Dam gates in Ramban after rising water levels in the Chenab River.
#WATCH | Jammu and Kashmir: Due to continuous heavy rainfall in the upper regions, the Chenab River is in full spate.
— ANI (@ANI) September 4, 2025
(Visuals from Reasi) pic.twitter.com/34N8aCbRXJ
Vaishno Devi Yatra on Hold
The suspension of the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage has left thousands of devotees stranded and disappointed. Officials said heavy rains destabilized slopes along the trekking path, making the journey unsafe.
On August 27, tragedy struck near the shrine when a massive landslide killed at least 34 pilgrims and injured more than 20 others. Following the disaster, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha ordered a high-level probe into the incident.
Teams from the Shrine Board, NDRF, SDRF, and local administration are working to clear debris and restore the route. Until then, the yatra will remain halted.
Authorities in the Jammu Division ordered the closure of all government and private schools on September 5, citing heavy rainfall and fresh weather alerts. Officials said the decision was taken to ensure student safety, though online classes may continue where feasible.
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