4 dead as rains, landslides, flash floods wreak havoc in Jammu

In Jammu and Kashmir, three persons were killed and three feared washed away in the Suran river in Poonch district yesterday as rains, landslides and flash floods wreak havoc in the Jammu region. A youth was washed away in a flash flood in a nallah in the Reasi district, a temple was damaged in lightning in the Samba district while the strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH44) was closed after landslides and shooting stones at several places in the Ramban sector last evening. The Jammu-Kishtwar highway was blocked for more than



five hours yesterday on Thursday near Faggumarh (Drabshalla) about 18 km short of Kishtwar due to landslides.

Heavy snow on the higher passes of Kishtwar, Doda, Ramban, Poonch and Reasi have been reported. The rain continued throughout the day in the Jammu region, throwing normal life out of gear. The Chopper service to Katra Mata Vaishno Devi and battery car operation remained suspended yesterday. The new Yatra route via Tara Kota also remained closed.