Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said Jammu and Kashmir continues to reel under poor communication facilities as torrential rains wreak havoc across the Union Territory.
“Still struggling with almost nonexistent communication. There is a trickle of data flowing on Jio mobile, but no fixed line WiFi, no browsing, almost no apps. X opens frustratingly slowly, WhatsApp struggles with anything more than short text messages. Haven’t felt this disconnected since the terrible days of 2014 & 2019,” Abdullah wrote on X.
On Tuesday, Abdullah had briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah about the scale of disruption caused by incessant rainfall. He noted that efforts were underway to restore phone and data connectivity and expressed hope of reaching Jammu soon after flight services resume.
Meanwhile, the disaster’s toll deepened as 30 people lost their lives in a landslide near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra, according to Reasi SSP Paramvir Singh. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board confirmed that rescue operations were in progress with required manpower and machinery.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) also reported widespread thunderstorm activity across Jammu, with severe convection leading to heavy rains, thunderstorms, and the possibility of hail in districts including Jammu, RS Pura, Samba, Nagrota, and Udhampur. Cloud tops were observed up to 12 km, indicating deep and active thunderstorms.
Authorities have urged residents to remain indoors during storms, avoid waterlogged areas, and adhere to official advisories as the weather system continues moving east-northeastward.
