8 Missing in Surankote Flash Floods Still Untraced; Rains Continue to Batter Jammu Region

JAMMU, July 22: Eight people who went missing after the devastating flash floods in Surankote, Poonch district, remained untraced on Tuesday despite an intensive search operation continuing for the third consecutive day, as heavy rains disrupted normal life across several parts of the Jammu region. Rescue teams from the SDRF, Police, and local volunteers continued searching along the Suran River for the missing victims. According to Surankote SDM Farooq Khan Nazki, only seven bodies have been recovered so far out of the 15 people reported missing after Sunday’s cloudburst-triggered flash floods. The remaining eight are feared to have either been swept away by the floodwaters or buried under debris. Meanwhile, power and water supply in Poonch district remained severely affected for the third straight day after flash floods damaged electricity poles, towers, and transformers in Surankote. Executive Engineer, PDD Poonch, Aftab Ahmed, said restoration work was progressing despite adverse weather, with electricity expected to be restored by Wednesday morning. Heavy rains also triggered landslides at Madana and Sheindra, blocking the Jammu–Poonch National Highway for over four hours before traffic was restored after road clearance operations. The Chandak–Mandi road was briefly closed due to a landslide at Chakatroo but was reopened within an hour. In Poonch, a residential house in Arai Peeran partially collapsed, injuring its owner, Mohammad Din. He was shifted to Poonch Hospital after receiving initial treatment at SDH Mandi and is reported to be stable. The seven victims who died in Sunday’s landslide and house collapse at Domail in Loran were laid to rest on Tuesday amid persistent rainfall. Elsewhere, the Thannamandi–DKG–Bufliaz Road in Rajouri remained closed for the third consecutive day, disrupting access to the Mughal Road and leaving patients, students, traders, and commuters stranded. Residents have urged the administration to restore connectivity at the earliest. In Kathua district, continuous rainfall washed away a portion of the Old Samba–Kathua Road after the Sahar Khad overflowed, cutting off connectivity to Sherpur village and affecting nearly 15 to 20 villages. Locals said the road suffers similar damage every monsoon and demanded a permanent alternative route. The district administration has issued an advisory urging people to avoid rivers, streams, and landslide-prone areas as adverse weather conditions are expected to persist over the coming days. In Udhampur, power supply remained disrupted in Latti, Dudu, Jakhed, Panchount, and several adjoining villages after rain damaged electricity infrastructure. Officials said restoration is likely by Wednesday evening. In Kathua’s Billawar area, two people stranded in the Bhinni River were rescued by police and SDRF personnel after water levels receded. A middle-aged woman also reportedly died in a rain-related incident at a remote dhok in Bani, with police teams dispatched to the area. Heavy rains also damaged several link roads in Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts, while rising water levels in the Chenab, Tawi, Basantar, and Ujh rivers prompted authorities to issue flood alerts. At Akhnoor, the Chenab River was flowing at nearly 28 feet and continued to rise, prompting officials to warn residents in low-lying areas to stay away from riverbanks.