Heavy destruction due to cloudburst and heavy rain in Jammu-Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh! Three people died, red alert issued

Heavy rains have occured at most places in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh. In Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, a cloudburst on Tuesday (August 26, 2025) triggered a sudden heavy downpour, washing away around 15 houses and killing three people. Relief and rescue work is being done fast in the affected areas, but there is an atmosphere of panic among the local people. Mobile and internet services have been suspended in Jammu and Kashmir due to heavy rainfall. The weather department has forecast heavy rainfall in several parts of the State in the next few days.
The yatra to Mata Vaishno Devi has been suspended due to heavy rains. The accident took place near Ardh Kunwari, where thousands of devotees visit the shrine of Maa Vaishno Devi every day. In this accident, 5 people were killed and 14 people were injured. According to officials of the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the Himkoti route was the first to be closed after the heavy rains. According to the IMD, there is a threat of flood in Udhampur, Samba, Doda, Jammu, Kathua and Kishtwar districts till 5:30 am on August 27.
The Tawi river in Udhampur is flowing above the danger mark. A portion of a bridge over the Tawi river in Bhagwati Nagar was washed away. The water level of this river is much higher than the water level recorded during the floods in 2014. The water is likely to reach Jammu city in the next few hours. As a precautionary measure, the main Tawi bridge from Bikram Chowk, Jammu has been closed for vehicular movement.