Heavy rain batters Jammu, woman missing after flash floods

• Heavy rain battered Jammu, flooding roads, homes and shops, damaging vehicles and disrupting normal life across several areas

• A 27-year-old woman went missing after being swept away by flash floods in Raipur Domana; police and SDRF teams launched a search

• Landslides on the Panjtirthi-Sidrah and Sidrah-Nagrota roads disrupted traffic, prompting debris clearance and commuter safety advisories

Heavy rainfall disrupted normal life across several parts of Jammu on Sunday, inundating roads and residential areas, damaging vehicles and triggering landslides at multiple locations. A 27-year-old woman was reported missing after allegedly being swept away by flash floods in the Raipur Domana area, officials said.

The woman was crossing a road with her husband when the couple was reportedly swept away by the force of the floodwaters. While the man was rescued, the woman remained untraced, according to a local resident.

Police and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams rushed to the area and launched a search operation to locate the missing woman.

Heavy rainfall began around 8.30 am and continued for more than three hours, leaving several major roads waterlogged and disrupting traffic across the city.

Panjtirthi, Nagrota, Roop Nagar, Dogra Chowk, Durga Nagar, Shakti Nagar and Raipur Domana were among the worst-affected areas, officials said.

Rainwater entered houses and commercial establishments in several localities, while cars and two-wheelers sustained damage amid widespread waterlogging. Videos circulating on social media showed floodwaters rushing through narrow lanes, inundating roads and entering residential and commercial premises.

Residents of low-lying areas reported difficulties moving around as water levels rose rapidly, raising concerns over the safety of families and damage to household belongings.

Vijay Kumar, a resident of Shakti Nagar, said the rainwater flowed through the lanes with considerable force, making movement difficult and leaving residents worried about their homes and possessions.

Another resident, Sohan Singh of Domana, said the situation deteriorated within a short period as roads became submerged.

“Within a short time, the roads were filled with water. People were trying to protect their belongings while also ensuring that their families remained safe,” he said.

The downpour also triggered landslides along the Panjtirthi-Sidrah and Sidrah-Nagrota road stretches, disrupting vehicular movement and causing traffic congestion, officials said.

Authorities deployed personnel and machinery to clear debris and restore traffic movement on the affected routes. Commuters were advised to exercise caution while travelling through vulnerable stretches because of unstable slopes, slippery roads and the risk of further disruption.

The heavy rainfall once again highlighted the vulnerability of several Jammu neighbourhoods to waterlogging and flash floods, particularly in low-lying residential areas.

With search operations underway for the missing woman and clearance work continuing on landslide-hit roads, authorities remained engaged in addressing the impact of the downpour across the affected parts of the city.

With PTI inputs