J&K floods wreak havoc: 30 dead, thousands evacuated, bridges washed away

Torrential rains continued to lash Jammu and Kashmir for the fourth consecutive day on Wednesday, 27 August, flooding large parts of the Union Territory and forcing the evacuation of thousands from low-lying areas.

Rescue operations are underway along the Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine route near Adhkuwari, where a landslide on Tuesday killed 30 people and left 21 others injured, officials said.

In Kishtwar’s remote Margi area, a flash flood swept away 10 houses and a bridge, though no casualties were reported. More than a dozen paramilitary personnel remain stranded in flooded Lakhanpur village in Kathua, with efforts on to move them to safety.

Jammu and Kashmir Rain Update 🚨

The exact moment the Tawi bridge collapsed was caught on camera.

Watch Video #jammufloods #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/eB9Ch8aJCy

— Mayank (@mayankcdp) August 26, 2025

Monsoon 2025: Himalayan fragility laid bare amid nationwide rain havoc

Officials said most water bodies in the Jammu region—including the Tawi, Chenab, Ujh, Ravi, and Basanter — are flowing well above the danger mark after continuous rainfall over the past 24 hours.

In the Kashmir Valley, the Jhelum river crossed the flood-alert level of 21 feet at Sangam in Anantnag and was just two feet below the alert level of 18 feet at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar on Wednesday morning.

The floods have caused extensive damage to public infrastructure, washing away key bridges, damaging houses, and submerging commercial establishments across the UT, officials added.

With agency inputs