More than 31 people lost their lives and 23 others were injured after a huge landslide struck the Mata Vaishno Devi Yatra track near Ardhkumari in Katra, Jammu and Kashmir, on Wednesday. Rescue teams continued their search operation amid fears that more people could still be trapped under the debris.

The region has been battered by relentless downpours, leading to flash floods, landslides, and widespread destruction. In Jammu, key infrastructure collapsed under the pressure of nature’s fury, bridges gave way, while power lines and mobile towers were badly damaged. Officials confirmed that over 3,500 residents had to be evacuated by Tuesday as heavy rains triggered flooding and waterlogging across several districts.

On Tuesday, Jammu witnessed its highest rainfall in six hours, recording 22 cm between 11:30 am and 5:30 pm, according to the Meteorological Department. While the intensity of the rains reduced after midnight, fresh landslides continued to strike the shrine route. In one such incident earlier on Tuesday, nine people were killed and 21 were injured when another section of the mountainside collapsed, leaving the Trikuta hill path badly damaged.

Communication across large parts of Jammu and Kashmir has been disrupted. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote on X that he was struggling with “non-existent communication,” citing the collapse of telecom services and WiFi disruptions. Officials confirmed that millions remain cut off as telecom blackouts spread across the Union Territory.

Flood alerts have also been issued for the Jhelum River in South Kashmir after water levels crossed the danger mark near Sangam. More than 20 low-lying localities in Jammu and Samba have been inundated. Residents continue to call district control rooms for evacuation assistance as joint teams of the Army, NDRF, SDRF, police, and local volunteers work around the clock.

Meanwhile, operations at Leh airport were hit, with several flights delayed or cancelled. Delhi airport also issued an advisory to passengers bound for Leh to check flight status before travel. Northern Railways cancelled 22 trains scheduled for Jammu and Katra, while 27 others were short-terminated due to heavy soil erosion and flash floods near the Chakki River.

Schools in the Jammu division have been ordered shut till August 27, and examinations for Classes 10 and 11 have been suspended. Experts warn that storms remain active, with cloud tops reaching up to 12 km, and rains are likely to continue in the hill and foothill regions.The calamity has left Jammu and Kashmir grappling with a crisis that has affected lives, livelihoods, travel, and communication, all within just a span of a few days of relentless rain.