Death toll rises to 18 as flash floods, landslides wreak havoc in J&K

Bus stand in a river

Around 50 private vehicles parked at the Bela Colony bus stand area of Rajouri were washed away in a flash flood. According to locals, the bus stand, made operational in November 2024, was built on a mound in a river that had been dry for a few decades. However, the river was flooded on Sunday by water brought into it from the nullahs coming from the Darhal and Thanamandi sides. The bus stand subsequently got submerged under flood waters, and the vehicles parked there during the night were washed away.

Severe flooding caused by continuous heavy rainfall wreaked havoc, leaving several vehicles overturned and badly damaged amid debris and muddy water, in Rajouri on Sunday. (ANI Video Grab)

The flood waters also entered nearby slums, and a woman named Pinki Devi was reported to have been swept away, officials said.

A local government official said the death toll was not high in the area because there was no one present at the bus stand area when the flooding occurred.

CM returns from Delhi

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who had gone to New Delhi to sit on dharna at Jantar Mantar on Monday demanding the restortaration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, said he would return to Jammu in view of the disaster.

Expressing grief over the loss of lives in Poonch and Rajouri, he said the SDRF, police and all other agencies concerned were engaged in relief and rescue operations, he said, adding that the government will do everything possible to aid and assist affected people who have suffered property loss/damage due to the rains and flash floods.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said affected families have already been moved to safety, all departments are on high alert, and that they are prioritising immediate relief and repair work. He urged residents to stay calm and follow official updates.

In view of the inclement weather conditions, while various link roads stand blocked due to landslides in the twin border districts, the pilgrimage to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and Shiv Khori shrines in Reasi district was temporarily suspended.

Alert in Jammu

Meanwhile, authorities in the Jammu division have sounded the alert, following a sharp rise in the water level of the Chenab River and several other streams.

Officials said that all the gates of the Salal Hydroelectric Project in Reasi remained open for the second consecutive day as part of the reservoir flushing process, leading to a significant increase in the discharge and flow of the Chenab River.

Floodwaters flow over a road after flash floods caused by incessant overnight rainfall, in Mendhar, Poonch district, Jammu and Kashmir, Sunday, July 19, 2026. (PTI Photo)

In neighbouring Ramban district, police issued a public advisory after the opening of the gates of the Baglihar Hydroelectric Project also caused the river’s water level to rise.

Police teams have also been deployed in villages along the Chenab River in Reasi, using public address systems to warn residents against venturing near the river and advising them to keep children and livestock away from its banks.

The district administration has cautioned that the water level in the Chenab may rise suddenly due to continued discharge from the dams and appealed to people to avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from rivers, streams and other water bodies.

According to IMD officials, Reasi received 106.5 mm of rain during the last 24 hours, followed by Rajouri (103 mm), Udhampur (101.6 mm), Katra (85 mm), Poonch (77 mm), Batote (57.2 mm) and Ramban (9 mm) in the Jammu region.