SRINAGAR: Jammu received 185.6 mm of rainfall in three hours on Sunday, breaking its 71-year October record of 160 mm set in 1955, as flooding inundated residential areas, damaged vehicles and triggered landslides at several locations.
Two people lost their lives in rain-related incidents, according to officials. A 27-year-old woman went missing in Raipur Domana after allegedly being swept away by flash floods while attempting to help her husband move their parked car. The man managed to save himself by clinging to an object, but the woman remained missing despite search operations by police, local residents and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams.
The body of another man, suspected to have drowned in a flooded stream, was recovered from the Domana area on Sunday evening. Officials said his identity and the exact cause of death had yet to be established.
The downpour began around 8.30 am, inundating roads, houses and commercial establishments across several parts of the city. Panjtirthi, Nagrota, Roop Nagar, Janipur, Dogra Chowk, Durga Nagar, Shakti Nagar and Raipur Domana were among the worst-affected areas.
Water entered homes and shops in Durga Nagar, Shakti Nagar and Raipur Domana, while residents reported damage to cars and two-wheelers. Waterlogging disrupted traffic and made movement difficult in several localities.
Landslides were reported on the Panjtirthi–Sidhra and Sidhra–Nagrota road stretches, disrupting vehicular movement and causing traffic congestion. Authorities deployed personnel and machinery to clear the debris, restoring traffic movement after several hours of work. Commuters were advised to exercise caution on vulnerable stretches because of unstable slopes and slippery road conditions.
The heavy rainfall also caused a sharp drop in temperatures. The maximum temperature fell to 23.3 degrees Celsius, nine degrees below normal, officials said.
Jammu West MLA Arvind Gupta said flooding had affected Bohri and Anand Nagar, where water entered homes and roads became waterlogged. Speaking to ANI, he said the downpour had been unexpected as the monsoon season had nearly ended and that extensive damage had occurred within two hours.
Gupta said the flooding took place on the first day of Navratri, when many families were preparing for puja at home. No casualties were reported in the incidents in Bohri and Anand Nagar, he said.
The rainfall has again affected several localities across Jammu, with residents reporting difficulties as water accumulated on roads and entered residential and commercial premises.
