Ramban Flash Floods: Highway Still Cut Off, DC Urges Caution, Lauds Community Response

Ramban, Apr 21, CNS: Amid violent thunderstorms, cloudbursts and relentless downpours, tragedy struck several villages in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district early Sunday, leaving three persons, including two minor brothers, dead and dozens of homes damaged in a series of devastating flash floods and landslides.
The calamity, which unfolded around 4:30 a.m., saw hundreds of local volunteers rushing to the rescue of fellow villagers even as heavy rains and thick clouds made conditions treacherous. In Seri Bagna village, 12-year-old Aqib Ahmad, his 10-year-old brother Mohammad Saqib, and their 65-year-old neighbor Muni Ram lost their lives after their house collapsed due to the force of the gushing waters.
“It was like a nightmare. I woke up to a deafening sound and then heard people screaming,” said Mohammad Hafiz, a local resident. “We pulled the children out from the debris, but they had already died. Still, volunteers didn’t stop — even as it kept raining, they kept trying.”
Former Sarpanch Teerath Singh recalled the desperate attempt to rescue Muni Ram, who was found alive but succumbed before he could be pulled out. “We were hopeful till the last moment,” he said.
In Dharam Kund village, police swung into swift action and evacuated over 100 villagers, including women and children, after a local stream swelled due to repeated cloudbursts. Villager Asgar Ali, who lost his home, credited the police for their timely intervention. “I couldn’t save anything, but we’re alive, thanks to their help,” he said. His neighbor Ranjit Singh echoed the sentiment, saying their family escaped with their lives but lost all belongings and their vehicle.
Flash floods also battered Sundari Mohalla and Bowhi Bazar areas, filling homes, shops, and hotels with mud and debris. “Ramban is devastated,” said Jugal Kishore Chib, surveying the damage and trying to stay optimistic.
Deputy Commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary, accompanied by SSP Ramban Kulbir Singh and senior officials, visited the affected areas to monitor rescue and relief efforts. “Teams from the police, SDRF, Army, civil administration, and local NGOs are working tirelessly to provide assistance,” he said.
The DC confirmed massive loss of property and disruption of infrastructure, including damage to a stretch of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway near Panthiyal, which remained inaccessible. Several villages have been cut off from district headquarters.
The administration has provided shelter and relief materials, including ration, to displaced villagers housed at local government schools. Chaudhary also praised the public for heeding official advisories, saying it helped reduce casualties.
He urged people to avoid venturing into nallahs, landslide-prone areas, and flood-hit locations, and to rely only on verified information to prevent panic.
As a precautionary measure, all schools, colleges, and technical institutions both government and private will remain closed across Ramban district on Monday, April 21.
The Meteorological Department has predicted improvement in weather conditions starting Monday after two days of widespread rain and snowfall in higher reaches. Meanwhile, restoration efforts are expected to continue over the coming days.