Cloudburst In Kashmir's Ganderbal Forces Closure Of Srinagar-Leh Highway

A cloudburst on the intervening night of Sunday in the Cherwan Kangan area of Ganderbal district, Jammu and Kashmir, has led to the blockage of the critical Srinagar-Kargil road.

Additionally, the Srinagar-Sonamarg-Gumuri (SSG) road near Padawbal has been obstructed after an overflow from a nearby canal caused an accumulation of mud on the road. Road clearance operations are currently in progress.

Photo Credit: ANI

The cloudburst has resulted in extensive damage, particularly to paddy fields, and has trapped several vehicles in the debris. Gulzar Ahmad, the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of Ganderbal, stated, "This cloudburst occurred in the intervening night of Sunday. Debris has accumulated here, but with God's grace, no lives have been lost."

He further highlighted that their priority is to clear the road, adding, "In those houses where the debris has entered, we rescued the residents and shifted them to safer places. The district police, administration, and private establishments are working in tandem. We will be able to clear it today."

Authorities have advised commuters to avoid traveling on the affected roads until the clearance operations are completed. Ganderbal SDM Bilal Mukhtar reported that houses in low-lying areas have been damaged, and the situation is under assessment.

He also urged people traveling on the Srinagar-Leh route and those on the Amarnath Yatra to stay informed and await updates from the district administration, noting that the Srinagar-Leh highway has been closed.

Simultaneously, other regions in India have been hit by catastrophic cloudbursts. In Himachal Pradesh, search and rescue operations are underway in Samej village near Rampur in Shimla district. State minister Vikramaditya Singh expressed concerns, saying, "around 50 people are feared dead," with the official toll pending confirmation after rescue efforts are completed.

He stressed that the government's top priority is to retrieve bodies and restore connectivity in the affected areas as soon as possible.

In Uttarakhand, rescue and relief efforts have been intensified following a devastating cloudburst and landslides along the Kedarnath Yatra route, which claimed 15 lives.

On Saturday, over 1,500 pilgrims and locals were rescued by NDRF and SDRF personnel. Uttarakhand Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman reported that "a total of 9,099 people have been rescued along the Kedarnath Yatra route."