Union Home Minister Amit Shah conducted an extensive tour of flood-devastated areas in Jammu, assuring affected residents of comprehensive relief and rehabilitation efforts. Accompanied by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma, Shah visited Mangu Chak, one of the hardest-hit villages near Jammu Airport, to assess the damage firsthand. He was briefed by Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and other senior officials on the ongoing crisis and relief operations.

Shah engaged with villagers like Bhan Singh, whose home was destroyed in the unprecedented floods, losing household items including fridges, air conditioners, and clothing. “The Home Minister assured us of relief,” Singh told PTI, noting he had never seen such a deluge in his lifetime. Another resident, Chain Dass, described his survival as miraculous, with his village submerged due to what locals claim was exacerbated by a poorly planned circular road. Shah promised measures to prevent future flooding and ensure swift aid.

The Home Minister also inspected damage along the Tawi riverbanks from the Bikram Chowk bridge, where record rainfall of 380 mm in 24 hours on August 26-27—the highest since 1910—triggered devastating flash floods. Udhampur recorded an even higher 630 mm, surpassing its previous record. Since August 14, over 130 people, including 34 Vaishno Devi pilgrims, have died, with 33 still missing across Kishtwar, Kathua, Reasi, and Ramban districts due to cloudbursts, landslides, and floods.

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After his tour, Shah chaired a high-level meeting at Raj Bhawan, attended by Sinha, Abdullah, the Director General of Police, and Central and Union Territory officials, to review relief efforts and address damage to the border security grid caused by flash floods. This marks Shah’s second visit to Jammu in three months, following a May 29 trip after cross-border missile strikes in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26. The region’s woes were compounded by a cloudburst in Kishtwar’s Chisoti village on August 14, claiming 65 lives, mostly pilgrims, and leaving 32 missing, as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s planned visit was thwarted by further landslides.

Shah’s visit underscores the Central Government’s commitment to addressing Jammu and Kashmir’s worst monsoon crisis in decades, with expectations of a major relief package to restore infrastructure and support affected communities.

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