Residents battle mud and debris as farmers report complete crop losses; affected families seek urgent relief and compensation
Jammu, Oct 13: Unseasonal rainfall, hailstorms and flash floods have brought misery to residents and farmers across Jammu, inundating homes, damaging household belongings and infrastructure, and destroying standing basmati paddy crops just days before harvest. While residents in several localities are struggling to clear thick layers of mud and sludge from their homes, farmers in the Marh area fear a severe financial setback after months of hard work and investment were wiped out by the sudden change in weather.
Jammu received a record 185.6 mm of rainfall on Sunday, surpassing the previous October peak of 160 mm recorded in 1955. The intense downpour triggered flash floods, landslides and mudflows, leaving more than two dozen localities waterlogged, damaging roads and drains, and disrupting water supply and movement.
For many families, the aftermath has meant days of exhausting clean-up, damaged household essentials and mounting expenses. In Dream City, Sunita Devi, her sister Nirmala and other family members have been struggling to make their home habitable after floodwaters from an adjoining drain swept mud and debris inside, damaging refrigerators, sofas, beds and other household articles.
“We have been cleaning our house for the past two days. Almost all household items have been damaged due to mud and slush,” Sunita said.
Recounting their ordeal, she said the family had approached the police for assistance but was directed to other emergency services. “Everyone we called directed us elsewhere. Who are we supposed to turn to in such a situation?” she asked.
Nirmala alleged that the adjoining drain had not been cleaned since last year and that its retaining wall had broken, allowing mud and debris to inundate the locality. The family, she said, had already spent a considerable amount on repairs and other expenses this year and would now have to incur additional costs to restore their home.
“We faced a very similar situation last year. Nothing has changed. Who is helping us?” she said, alleging that residents had repeatedly suffered because of inadequate drainage and a lack of lasting repairs.
In Jawahar Nagar, Bharati and his son Ishu have also been struggling to clean their house after floodwaters from a nearby Nallah inundated the first floor, damaging household goods worth lakhs of rupees.
“The floods have become an annual feature. Despite assurances by the MLA and Jammu Municipal Corporation, nothing has been done to raise the embankment,” Bharati said, adding that repeated flooding was weakening the foundation of his house.
The suffering extends beyond residential areas to the agricultural fields of Marh, where heavy rain, hailstorms and strong winds have damaged standing basmati paddy at a critical stage of cultivation. Farmers said they had been anticipating a bumper harvest after favourable rainfall and healthy crop growth through much of the season, only to see their hopes shattered shortly before harvesting.
Dayaram, a farmer from the region, said the sudden spell of adverse weather had completely destroyed his crop.
“It rained heavily here, followed by hailstorms and strong winds, which completely destroyed our crops. We have suffered 100 per cent crop loss. This year, we were expecting a bumper harvest because the rainfall had been good and the crops were growing well. But the unseasonal rain and hailstorms destroyed everything,” he said.
The losses have left farmers worried about recovering the money invested in seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation and labour. For families dependent largely on agriculture, the destruction of the standing crop threatens not only their expected seasonal income but also their ability to meet household expenses, repay debts and prepare for the next farming season.
“We have spent money throughout the season, hoping to recover our investment through the harvest. Now, with the crop damaged, we are worried about how we will meet our household expenses and repay what we owe,” another farmer said.
The affected cultivators have urged the administration to conduct an immediate assessment of the damage, with the involvement of Agriculture Department and revenue officials, and provide compensation to eligible farmers under applicable crop-loss relief and insurance provisions. They stressed that timely assistance was essential to help them cope with the financial shock.
Meanwhile, significant waterlogging was reported from Tawi, Roop Nagar, Upper Roop Nagar, Amit Nagar, Gumpal, Pukhoo, Bantalab, Talab Tillo, Rajinder Nagar, Pirkho, Hazuri Nagar, Colonel Colony, Bhawani Nagar, Nai Basti, Dream City, Gorkha Nagar, Jawahar Nagar, Udhaywala, Muthi and Lower Roop Nagar, among other areas. Vehicles were reportedly swept away by flash floods in Amit Nagar, Roop Nagar and Muthi, while damaged roads and waterlogged lanes disrupted movement.
Residents blamed inadequate stormwater drainage, clogged drains, incomplete drainage works and vulnerable embankments for aggravating the damage. They called for the completion of pending projects, the repair of damaged roads and drains, and the strengthening of embankments to prevent repeated flooding.
The latest spell of flooding has also revived concerns over the pace of permanent restoration work following the devastating rainfall of August 26, 2025. Residents alleged that damaged roads, incomplete drains and inadequate repairs had left several localities vulnerable to another round of flooding.
Preliminary assessments by the administration and concerned agencies have put the damage to roads, lanes and other infrastructure in the city at more than Rs 10 crore, an estimate that could rise after a detailed assessment. Several roads have developed potholes or suffered erosion, while water supply pipelines and electricity infrastructure have also been affected in some areas, officials said.
The Public Works Department is expected to assess the damage and prepare repair proposals. The Jammu Municipal Corporation has meanwhile launched a cleaning drive, deploying sanitation workers, health personnel, transport staff and heavy machinery to remove accumulated mud, silt and debris from affected localities, including Nank Nagar, Jeevan Nagar, Digiana, Talab Tillo, Bantalab Nagar and Muthi. Dozens of tipper trucks are being used to transport the waste, officials said.
Health Officer Dr Shahid Hussain said heavy rainfall had left several localities covered in mud and wastewater, prompting the deployment of sanitation workers and machinery.
While civic teams work to restore normalcy, affected residents and farmers are looking for more than immediate clean-up measures. They are seeking lasting drainage and flood-protection infrastructure, prompt assessment of their losses and timely financial assistance to help them rebuild their homes and recover from the destruction of their crops.
The exact extent of damage to basmati paddy and the number of farmers affected were not immediately available, and no official estimate of agricultural losses had been released at the time of filing this report.
Fresh snowfall in Kashmir
Srinagar, Oct 13 : Higher reaches of Kashmir received fresh snowfall, while the plains were lashed by rains on Tuesday, with the meteorological department forecasting a wet spell over the next 48 hours, officials said here.
Many areas in the higher reaches of Kashmir received light to moderate snowfall as the valley came under the influence of an active Western Disturbance, they added.
The officials said fresh snowfall was reported from the tourist resorts of Gulmarg and Sonamarg as well as from the Zojilla Axis.
The plains, including Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, were lashed by rains, which continued when the last reports came in, the officials said.
The meteorological department said there is a possibility of light to moderate rain, with light snow over higher reaches, at many places. There is also a likelihood of thundershowers and hailstorms at isolated places from October 13 to October 15, it said.
The weather will generally remain dry, with a brief spell of light rain at isolated places on October 16, it said.
Afterwards, the weather will remain generally dry till October 24, it added.