A view of Omara village in Sundla Panchayat, Udhampur, devastated by September 3 landslide
UDHAMPUR, Sept 17: The fear of epidemic looms over 33 families of Omara village in Sundla Panchayat of Majalta tehsil whose houses were destroyed by landslides triggered by heavy rains on September 3. Across the Jammu region, flood victims await rehabilitation in safer areas and demand a relief package similar to Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
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Widespread Damage Across Jammu Region
Besides Udhampur, villages in Basohli tehsil (Kathua) and other remote areas reported massive destruction. Houses were flattened, link roads and bridges washed away, and standing crops destroyed by cloudbursts, flash floods, and landslides. Six families in Kathua’s Janglot area remain without compensation, forced to live with relatives.
Local residents, including Shakti Kumar and Jasvir, urged the Centre to announce relief on the pattern of Punjab and Himachal, stressing that families had lost both homes and livelihoods. Activist Amit Mehra highlighted over two dozen villages in Basohli tehsil where waterlogging now poses a severe epidemic threat.
Crisis in Border Belt
In Kathua and Samba’s border areas, floods from the Ujh and Tarnah rivers devastated agricultural land. Farmer leaders like Rishpal Verma and Jaidev Singh noted that hundreds of kanals of farmland were lost due to man-made negligence, including dismantling flood protection bunds after the Ranjit Sagar dam’s construction.
Similarly, in Pargwal (Akhnoor tehsil), Chenab floods inundated low-lying areas, destroyed crops, and washed away the only road connecting the region to Jammu and Akhnoor. Residents face dual threats: floods on one side and cross-border shelling on the other.
Families Living Under Tents
At Omara village, survivors recounted losing everything. Rahem Din, a retired Armyman, lost his 6,000 sq ft house, while Angrez Singh saw his eight-room house reduced to rubble. Sadiq Ali lost both his newly built home and livestock. Over 200 people from 33 families are now living in tents, with 15–20 members sharing a single tent.
Lack of sanitation, clean drinking water, and proper shelter has created dire conditions. Locals reported some people already hospitalised after consuming contaminated water, heightening fears of an epidemic.
Authorities Promise Relief
District Development Commissioner Saloni Rai confirmed that revenue teams have surveyed the damage and a compensation report has been framed. She assured that affected families will receive compensation within this week, noting that tents and rations had already been provided.
Source: Daily Excelsior
Labels: Udhampur, Kathua, Floods, Landslide, Relief
Tags: #Floods #Landslide #Udhampur #Kathua #DisasterRelief #EpidemicThreat
Disclaimer: This article is a rewritten summary based on reporting by Daily Excelsior. Jammu News Portal does not assume responsibility for the accuracy of external content.
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