A landslide on the route to the famous Hindu shrine Vaishno Devi killed 33 people, according to local disaster management official Mohammad Irshad.
India’s Meteorological Department said the torrential rain had smashed records in two locations.
Jammu and Udhampur recorded their highest 24-hour rainfall on Wednesday, with 296 mm in Jammu, nine percent higher than the 1973 record, and 629.4 mm in Udhampur – a staggering 84 percent surge over the 2019 mark.
The intense monsoon rainstorm in the Indian-administered territory has caused widespread chaos, with raging water smashing into bridges and swamping homes.
Floods and landslides are common during the June-September monsoon season, but experts say climate change, coupled with poorly planned development, is increasing their frequency, severity and impact.
The local administration said thousands of people were forced to flee in the Jammu region.
Schools have been shut, with the region’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah saying officials were struggling with “almost non-existent communication”.
The main Jhelum River in the Kashmir Valley has also risen above the danger mark and authorities sounded flood alerts, including for the key city of Srinagar. (AFP)
