Rains claim woman’s life in Rajouri; Amarnath, Vaishno Devi pilgrimages partly back on track
26/07/2026
Jammu/Srinagar, Jul 25: A 45-year-old woman was killed while her husband and son sustained injuries after their house collapsed in Rajouri district as light to moderate rains again lashed most parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials said.
The woman's death has pushed the rain-related death toll in JK to 30 since July 19. Six persons, including a government employee, remain missing, with search and rescue operations continuing.
With the weather showing signs of improvement, the strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was reopened to traffic after a three-day closure triggered by multiple landslides. The authorities also partially restored the annual AmarnathYatra and the pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine after suspending them for six days due to heavy rainfall and unsafe conditions along the routes.
Pilgrim movement was restored in a regulated manner following a review of the prevailing weather and safety situation, the officials said.
While road connectivity and pilgrimage activities showed signs of normalisation, officials continued to advise caution as intermittent rainfall persisted in several areas, with the weatherman forecasting continuation of the wet spell in the Jammu region for the next few days.
They said a house collapsed in Bhatian village of Thanamandi in Rajouri amid heavy rains on Saturday, resulting in the on-the-spot death of ShahidaParveen, 45.
Parveen's husband Abdul Rehman and son ToufeeqRehman were injured in the incident and evacuated to hospital by the rescuers, they said.
Poonch has been the worst-hit district, accounting for 18 fatalities and five of the missing persons. Rajouri has reported three deaths and one missing person, while Doda and Ramban have recorded three and two fatalities, respectively. In Kashmir, a mother-son duo drowned in flash floods in Bandipora district and another in Budgam district.
Several parts of Rajouri, Poonch and Reasi districts received moderate to heavy rainfall, while Jammu and the adjoining plains, including Samba and Kathua, witnessed light showers throughout the day. Despite the widespread rainfall, the water levels in the region's major rivers, including the Tawi and the Chenab, remained within the normal range, the officials said.
The AmarnathYatra resumed on Saturday after remaining suspended for six days due to bad weather, with the pilgrimage reopening on the Baltal route and over 6,000 pilgrims leaving Jammu for Kashmir. However, the Pahalgam route of the yatra remains "temporarily" closed.
Similarly, the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district also resumed partially on Saturday, bringing relief and joy to thousands of waiting devotees. Both the pilgrimages had been suspended on July 19 as a precautionary measure following persistent rainfall and adverse weather conditions.
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