Ramban Flash Floods: Relief Ops Ongoing, Power & Water Supply Being Restored, Says Union Minister Jitendra Singh
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh on Tuesday said that relief and restoration work is progressing at a steady pace in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district, which was severely hit by flash floods following intense rainfall. He assured full support from the central administration and confirmed that restoration of basic amenities is underway, despite challenging conditions.
In a post on X, Singh said, “Relief operations are in full swing. The administration is doing its best despite the extremely unfavourable circumstances. Deputy Commissioner Baseer Choudhary is personally stationed in the affected area.”
Providing updates, he added that of the 1762 damaged distribution transformers (DTS), 1486 have already been restored, and efforts to repair the remaining 286 are in progress. Similarly, out of 98 water supply schemes (WSS), 89 are now functional, with work ongoing to restore the remaining nine.
Singh also noted that National Highway 44, partially blocked due to landslides, is expected to reopen soon. “The NH is likely to be restored partially by tomorrow. I plan to visit Ramban tomorrow to review the situation on-ground and coordinate further measures with the administration,” he said.
Ramban DC Baseer-Ul-Haq Choudhary explained that flash floods struck late Sunday night after heavy rains, as earlier forecasted between April 18 and 20. Overflowing rivers and streams led to widespread damage, including debris accumulation on roads and restricted access to Ramban town. He confirmed that while several areas faced severe inundation, there were no reported casualties within the town limits.
“The streams brought massive volumes of water and debris, affecting homes and drainage systems. Rescue teams, including the local SHO, were mobilised immediately,” Choudhary added.
Local MLA Arjun Singh Raju expressed sorrow over the incident, saying while infrastructure can be rebuilt, lives lost are irreplaceable. He said the focus remains on saving lives and restoring essential connectivity.
Meanwhile, SDM Gool, Imtiyaz Ahmed, stated that 37 houses and a temple were damaged due to the flash floods. “Although no human casualties were reported in the Gool area, some cattle are missing. We’re conducting a detailed loss assessment and providing medicines, food, and other essential aid to the affected,” he said.
However, in Bagahana village, at least three people, including two children, tragically died after their homes collapsed during a landslide triggered by the heavy rains.
