Jammu and Kashmir: Over 30 houses damaged, 60,000 people affected by land subsidence in Ramban

Officials take stock of a sunken road after more than 50 houses, four electricity towers, a receiving station, and a main road were damaged, in Ramban district. Pic/PTI

Over 30 houses are feared to be damaged in a village in Ramban district, 6 km from Ramban district headquarters and 60,000 people from the Gool sub-division have been disconnected due to the land subsidence of about one km stretch of Ramban-Gool road since Thursday night, reported news agency ANI.

A 6 km long Pernote-Thalwa road has also been damaged due to a massive landslide in the area, Additional District Development Commissioner, Ramban said.

Additional District Development Commissioner, Ramban, Roshan Lal said that the headquarters of Sub-Division, Gool and Railway Station, Sangaldan have been disconnected. He said that the work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramula Rail Link (USBRL) and 1850 MW Sawlakote Hydel Project has also been affected, reported ANI.

Ramban ADDC Roshan Lal said, "The landslide began yesterday evening some 5 km away from Ramban. The roads have been damaged. Around 30-40 houses in the nearby areas are also affected. We have deployed teams and they are conducting surveys. We have evacuated those who have lost their homes. This road is of vital for connectivity here and will be restored soon."

He said that about 60,000 people of the Gool sub-division have been disconnected from the Ramban district headquarters and the NH44 as well due to the damage to this road, reported ANI.

He added that a local Grid Station and three High Tension Transmission towers have been grounded thereby disconnecting the power supply in the area.

Officer Commanding in General Reserve Engineer Force (GREF) SK Gautam said, "Since yesterday evening, small cracks have been developing in the roads. A road of length 1000-1200 meters is impacted. The slide is going on continuously. The road has subsided 10-12 meters in some places. The restoration has not yet started because the movement is still going on."

Several orchards, pine trees, pucca paths and water supply schemes have been damaged thereby affecting the lives of villagers there, reported ANI.

Roshan Lal said that the affected families are being shifted to Panchayat Ghar, in tents and other buildings.

The seeping of stagnant water during recent rains in the vegetable fields and paddy fields above this road falling in the Muree Geological Formation with the Chenab River below this area is being attributed to this natural calamity, reported ANI.

He said that the Quick Response Team, SDRF and Police are rescuing people to safer places; an ambulance with medical teams has been deputed there and the actual loss of public property is being ascertained by the Revenue Department teams, reported ANI.

Ex-Sarpanch Kalasha Devi said, "Yesterday at around 7 pm, first small cracks were seen in the roads. Right in front of us, the road sank almost a foot till 10-11 pm. Around 31 houses have been damaged. Our crops have also been damaged. The grid station has collapsed, and due to this, we do not have electricity. We request the MLA to arrange a temporary stay for the people. More damage may be caused if it rains again."

Till the last reports came in Deputy Commissioner Ramban Basheer-Ul-Haq Chaudhary was at the spot to assess the damage and accommodate the affected families.

(With inputs from ANI)