Ramban, April 20 — Union Minister and BJP MP, Dr. Jitendra Singh, confirmed the deaths of three people and significant property damage following a severe hailstorm and landslides that struck the Udhampur district in Jammu and Kashmir.
The region endured heavy rain and strong winds overnight, severely impacting the Ramban area, where key sections of National Highway 44 were blocked. These extreme weather conditions halted traffic and left several areas without power.
“There was an intense hailstorm, accompanied by multiple landslides and powerful winds, through the night in Ramban and nearby areas. The National Highway is obstructed, and unfortunately, three fatalities have been reported, along with significant property loss for a few families,” Singh shared on X.
Dr. Singh emphasized that he had been in regular communication with Deputy Commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Chaudhary, ensuring that relief efforts were being carried out swiftly. He commended the district authorities for their effective response, which he said helped save many lives.
“All necessary aid, including financial support, is being provided. The Deputy Commissioner has been informed that any additional resources required can be covered by the MP’s personal contributions if needed,” Singh added. He also appealed to the public not to panic during this challenging time.
This calamity follows an earlier storm on April 17, where powerful winds and rain caused significant damage across Jammu and Udhampur. The storm uprooted trees, disrupted road traffic, and caused power outages throughout the region.
In Jammu, part of the Civil Secretariat’s boundary wall collapsed due to the strong winds, damaging several parked vehicles. A JCB machine was deployed to clear the debris and restore access to the area.
In Udhampur’s Sateni Panchayat, former Sarpanch Parshottam Gupta reported severe damage, particularly to the local power and transport infrastructure.
“These are the strongest winds we’ve had in the past five years. We are still evaluating the full extent of the damage,” Gupta said, adding that a more accurate assessment will be made once conditions improve.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation, and efforts to restore normalcy are ongoing in the affected areas.
