Ramban, Mar 3: Incessant rains and high-speed winds have wreaked havoc, by partially or fully damaging around 150 residential structures, across the Ramban district.
Deputy Commissioner Ramban, Baseer Ul Haq Choudhary said, “Around 150 houses were damaged partially or fully in district Ramban, due to incessant rains and high-speed speed winds on Saturday.”
While confirming the damages, he told reporters that orders were issued to field staff to assess the damages caused to property in their respective jurisdictions for submitting a report to the district administration.
He said that the transmission lines connecting Sangaldan, Gool, Khari, Ramsu and Banihal areas had also developed faults.
“After improvement in weather all the essential services will be restored on priority,” he said.
Earlier officials said, “Reports received from Sub Divisions of Gool Banihal, tehsil Khari Batote, Rajgarh and Ramban indicate that scores of residential structures have suffered severe damage due to high-speed winds and rains in these areas on Saturday.” Many link roads, leading to the district headquarters town, were also blocked due to landslides and the caving-in of some portions of roads in various areas of the district.
“Several link roads, executed and operated by PWD and PMGSY in Gool, Khari, Ramsu, Banihal and Ramban are closed due to landslides and boulders that hit them,” the officials said.
The reports said that Khari-Mahu; Chanderkote-Rajgarh; Kanga Gandhari; Mehar Kanthi; Haroog-Sumber, Seri-Sincha and many other roads, including Srinagar Jammu National Highway connecting Gool, Ramsu, Ukhral and Banihal with district headquarter town Ramban remained blocked at various places due to incessant rains.
The rooftops of several houses and schools were blown up as gusty winds in Khari, Ramsu and Gool tehsils on Saturday.
Officials said that the rooftop of High School Kumla Trigam in Khari tehsil was torn off by strong winds, while in Chaka Sarbagni in Ramsu, the rooftops of several houses were damaged due to strong winds.
They also said that scores of residential structures were severely damaged due to the high-speed winds. A parked vehicle in Khari tehsil, after being hit by uprooted trees, suffered extensive damage.
In Govindpura-Maitra near Kewal Morh, Ramban, six residential buildings experienced structural damage due to heavy rain.
Officials said eight houses suffered damages due to rain and winds in Pogal Paristan tehsil.
Engineers of Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL) told Greater Kashmir that rain and high-speed winds damaged conductors and electric poles at various places. “The branches of trees have fallen on supply lines. After clearing and rectifying these lines, power supply will be restored,” they said.
Till late Sunday evening, communication, road links, electric and water supply to interior peripheries of the Ramban, Banihal, Gool, Batote, and Ramsu towns could not be restored by the concerned departments.
However, officials claimed that restoration works were going on across the district.
Meanwhile, Dr Shamshad Shan, chairperson District Development Council (DDC) Ramban appealed to the Deputy Commissioner to provide immediate financial assistance and other required support to the families affected by the devastating rainfall in the district.
The recent heavy rains, beginning on March 1, 2024, caused severe flooding and extensive damage to residential properties and infrastructure across the district. Dr Shan emphasized the critical need for cooperation and concerted action to address the plight of the affected communities.
“We must act swiftly to provide relief and support to those who have been severely impacted by the floods. Our priority is to ensure that affected families receive the assistance they need to rebuild their lives,” Dr Shan stated.
The chairperson urged the district administration in Ramban to urgently provide financial assistance under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and also extend other possible forms of aid to all affected families. Additionally, Dr Shan, highlighted the importance of conducting swift assessment of damages by the Tehsildars to expedite the distribution of relief measures.
“While the district administration of Ramban is working tirelessly to coordinate rescue and relief operations in collaboration with local authorities and relief agencies, additional support is required to meet the immediate needs of the affected population,” she said.
I A Sohil district president of J&K National Panthers Party, Ramban said, “Due to the heavy snowfall, there has been a lot of damage to houses, orchards and crops in various areas of the Ramsu sub-division of Ramban district.”
He requested the district administration to provide immediate compensation to those who suffered any kind of loss due to rain and high-speed wind.
He said that water and power supply in various areas of sub-division Ramsu remained snapped in the last 48 hours and they should be restored soon.