Landslide damages 13 houses in J&K’s Ramban district

More than a dozen houses were damaged in a massive landslide in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district on Monday, as per reports. Affected families were moved to safer places. A landslide occurred at Duksar Dalwa in Sangaldan of Gool Tehsil on the upper side of Ramban-Sangaldan Gool road, leaving 13 families homeless. The affected families have been shifted and provided with tents, rations, utensils and blankets as immediate relief," Justice Gool Tanveer-ul-Majeed Wani said.

The Deputy Commissioner (DC), Ramban, Mussarat Islam, requested the Divisional Commissioner, Jammu to send a team of geologists from the Geology and Mining Department to find out the underlying reason and also seek the help of IRCON and USBRL (Udhampur- Srinagar-Baramulla Railway) engineers. Ramban DC has also requested that the Commanding Officer, 52-RCC, General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF) make emergency arrangements to create an alternate road for Gool Tehsil HQ.

A major landslide hit National Highway 44 earlier on February 1 near Banihal town in Ramban district. Due to the landslide, the stretch of road in the Rampadi area is no longer open to vehicular traffic. In the meantime, the authorities are clearing the way with personnel and equipment. District Deputy Commissioner Ramban has advised people to follow the advisories issued by the Jammu and Kashmir Traffic Police.

The landslide at Rampadi occurred hours after the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was reopened for traffic after two days. The highway remained closed for vehicular traffic for two consecutive days due to rain-triggered rockfalls and mudslides at several places between Chanderkot and Banihal. The highway was blocked on Monday due to heavy rain and landslides near Panthyal in Ramban district.

The National Highway is the main route that connects Kashmir with the rest of India.