Srinagar-Jammu highway remains closed, around 1,000 vehicles stranded
Weather-related incidents claim 29 live across IIOJK
Srinagar: The Srinagar-Jammu Highway remained closed for the fourth consecutive day due to incessant rains and landslides in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), leaving around 1,000 vehicles stranded at different locations, while the annual Amarnath Yatra has remained suspended since July 19, with over 1,5000 pilgrims awaiting the resumption of the pilgrimage.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the stranded Hindu pilgrims are staying at nearly twenty base camps and lodging facilities in Jammu, Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Ramban and Banihal.
Officials said continuous rainfall has triggered fresh landslides, mudslides and rockfalls at several points along the highway, severely hampering restoration work. Although clearance operations are underway, persistent rains are delaying debris removal and road repair efforts.
The prolonged closure has left more than 1,000 vehicles stranded in Ramban, Nagrota, Udhampur, Lakhanpur and Samba, causing major disruption to traffic and the movement of essential supplies.
Meanwhile, cloudbursts and the ensuing flash floods have caused widespread devastation in different parts of the occupied territory. At least 29 people have lost their lives in separate weather-related incidents, while dozens of others have been injured or displaced.
The worst-hit areas are the Poonch and Rajouri districts of the Jammu region. In Surankote area of Poonch, the situation remains particularly grim as cloudburst-triggered torrents and landslides swept through several villages, causing extensive damage to homes, infrastructure and agricultural land.
