A member of the Indian Army’s Agniveer program died while performing his duty during the devastating floods in the Akhnoor district of the Jammu division. The young soldier’s body was returned to his home with full military honors on Saturday. The fallen Agniveer was identified as Jimmy Gaminlun Met, hailing from Manipur. On August 26th, the Chenab River in Akhnoor surged to 14 feet above the danger level, prompting the army to launch an Anti-Flood operation. Tragically, during this operation, Jimmy Gaminlun was swept away by the strong currents.
Another soldier has also lost his life in the line of duty in Paragwal due to the ongoing flood crisis. This follows the earlier loss of Constable Rajib Nunia of the BSF’s 195th Battalion.
Jimmy Gaminlun Met was originally from the Silchar area of Assam. The Jammu region is also grappling with other weather-related tragedies, including cloudbursts in the Ramban district that have claimed three lives. A landslide in Mahaur, Reasi district, has resulted in seven fatalities. The combined impact of floods, heavy rain, and cloudbursts since Monday has resulted in a total of 54 deaths.
Amidst the disaster, relief and rescue operations are actively underway. The water levels in all rivers within the Jammu division have thankfully fallen below the danger mark. The Army, Air Force, NDRF, SDRF, the Jammu and Kashmir Police, and other agencies are working collaboratively to assist the people affected by the unprecedented flooding.
The weather forecast for the next 24 hours predicts generally cloudy conditions with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the Jammu region and isolated showers in parts of Kashmir. The unstable weather patterns are expected to persist through September 5th.
Rescue operations continue at Ardhkuwari on the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route, following a landslide on Tuesday. The pilgrimage has been suspended for the next three days. Educational institutions throughout the Jammu division remain closed until August 30th, prioritizing the safety of students and staff.
The Udhampur-Chenani stretch of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has been closed for four days straight due to landslides, leaving over 500-600 vehicles stranded. The Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag highway is also closed. Limited access, allowing only Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs), is permitted on the Mughal Road connecting Shopian (Kashmir) and Poonch (Jammu). The Srinagar-Leh and Srinagar-Gurez routes are also closed due to fresh snowfall.
Rail services in the Jammu division are suspended and facing continued disruption. Northern Railway has cancelled 40 scheduled trains to and from Jammu, with 12 other trains being either terminated mid-journey or rerouted. Two special trains have been deployed to assist stranded passengers.
Authorities report that train services are expected to remain disrupted in several areas, including at bridge number 17 on the Kathua-Madhopur Punjab Downline due to flash floods and soil erosion.