Jammu records 2nd highest single-day August rainfall in 100 years - schools shut today

Heavy rains battered most parts of Jammu division on Sunday, causing widespread damage to infrastructure, flooding residential areas, and disrupting road connectivity across the region.

As per the report, a bridge on the Jammu-Pathankot National Highway was damaged, while several parts of Jammu city remained waterlogged. Jammu recorded 190.4 mm of rainfall in the past 24 hours ending at 8.30 am on Sunday, the second-highest single-day rainfall for August in over a century. The all-time record remains 228.6 mm, set on August 5, 1926, while the previous second-highest was 189.6 mm, recorded on August 11, 2022, The Times of India reported.

The heavy downpour, which began on Saturday, affected large areas including Kathua, Samba, Reasi, and Udhampur. Disaster response teams, along with local police, have been put on alert. As a precaution, authorities ordered all government and private schools to remain closed on Monday.

Power supply across several areas of Jammu was also hit as floodwater entered substations, leading to long outages.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah instructed departments to stay on high alert and work together to manage the crisis. He said control rooms must remain active and quick to respond. Special focus is being given to clearing waterlogged areas, repairing drainage systems, and restoring essential services like water and electricity.

Roads, homes and institutions affected

Several major roads in Jammu city were submerged, disrupting traffic and daily movement. In localities such as Janipur, Roop Nagar, Talab Tillo, Jewel Chowk, New Plot, and Sanjay Nagar, floodwaters entered homes. Boundary walls of houses collapsed in many areas, and nearly a dozen vehicles were swept away by rushing waters, The Tribune reported.

Part of a road caved in near the Tawi Bridge, while at the Jammu bus stand, a culvert at the exit gate collapsed. Rescue teams had to evacuate at least 45 students from the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine hostel after floodwaters entered the ground floor.

The rainfall also caused a landslide on the Kishtwar-Padder road. Rivers like the Ujh in Kathua and Basantar in Samba crossed danger levels, leading authorities to issue a flood alert.

Traffic police confirmed that the Jammu-Srinagar highway was still functional, but the alternative Mughal Road had to be shut due to landslides. Meanwhile, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for Jammu division until Tuesday, warning of more heavy rains.