Following a week of incessant rainfall and devastating floods, new concerns have emerged over incidents of land subsidence in various parts of Jammu province, particularly in the flood-affected regions.
In the Kheri and Kanger Panchayats of the Bantalab area, on the outskirts of Jammu city, land sinking has been occurring unabated for the last three days. Cracks have developed in as many as 25 houses due to the subsidence, and these families have been shifted to temporary tents.
Fortunately, the residents of these houses were evacuated after recognizing the increasing danger. It is believed that the land is sinking due to excessive water saturation in the ground caused by torrential rains over the past few days. The entire area is hilly, and there are fears that the mountains may also slide. According to officials, a team of experts will soon inspect the site, and the situation will become clearer afterward.
There are about a dozen houses scattered across this area, and all families have vacated their homes and moved to safer places out of fear.
House owner Mohammad Asif said that he had built his house here just two months ago and that construction was not yet complete. According to him, some light cracks had been visible for the last three to four days, and he assumed there might have been some flaw in construction. However, during the night, the ground sank three to four feet, causing the entire house to collapse. At the same time, Mukhtiyar Bibi said that her house was completely destroyed and that, with great difficulty, she managed to salvage some household items.
According to the area's MLA, Sham Lal Sharma, he has asked the administration to investigate the matter thoroughly and ensure the safety of the affected people. He stated that although he was in Srinagar and returned to Jammu late in the evening, he received information about the incident in the morning itself and immediately directed the Tehsildar and Naib Tehsildar to visit the site and investigate.
Additionally, he instructed his workers to visit the affected area and provide relief. Sharma said that on Sunday, he himself would gather information about the entire situation and determine the reasons for the subsidence as well as the relief measures that can be provided.
The population of the village is about 1,500, spread across approximately 200 houses. The houses are built at some distance from each other — some clusters have four to five houses together, while others have seven to eight. The village is spread over a long distance. Currently, land subsidence has been reported in only one part of the village, and no such incidents have been reported elsewhere.
According to the Jammu district administration, a geological survey will be conducted to determine the cause of the land subsidence. At present, the administration's priority is to move the affected people to safe locations and safeguard lives and property. Families from seven to eight houses in the affected area have been relocated to safer places and have been provided with rations and other essential supplies. The administration team will visit the village again on Sunday.
Meanwhile, amid bright sunshine, a part of an abandoned house collapsed in Tange Wali Gali in the city. The house had been closed for a long time and was unoccupied, so no casualties occurred. According to nearby residents, the house had been in a dilapidated condition for many years. The accident happened at night, causing no injuries. This entire street is very busy, and had the collapse occurred during the day, it could have endangered many passersby.
Apart from Jammu city and its adjoining localities, cases of land subsidence have also been reported from Nowshera area, Rah Salyote in Chowi Choura of Akhnoor sub-division, and Musra in Mahore tehsil of Reasi district.
MLA and officials visit affected areas
Sham Lal Sharma, MLA from Jammu North, conducted a detailed tour of Panchayat Keran and Panchayat Kanger, two of the worst-affected areas following the recent heavy rainfall. These villages have witnessed large-scale landslides and land subsidence, causing severe damage to residential houses, agricultural land, and basic infrastructure. The purpose of the visit was to assess the situation closely and ensure that urgent relief measures are implemented promptly.
During the tour, Sharma personally interacted with local residents and inspected the damaged sites. He observed that many families had lost their homes or suffered major structural damage, forcing them to live in vulnerable conditions.
Expressing concern over the plight of the affected people, Sharma urged the administration to immediately provide temporary shelters, tents, and other essential facilities to ensure that no displaced family is left without support.
He further directed the officials on the ground to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the damages and expedite the relief and rehabilitation process with utmost priority. He stressed that the entire operation must be swift, well-coordinated, and people-centric. Sharma assured residents that timely assistance would be provided to restore their sense of safety and normalcy.
The MLA was accompanied by senior officers and prominent local representatives, all of whom pledged full support in addressing the crisis. Among those present were Tehsildar Bhalwal, Monika Sharma (BDO Bhalwal), Dr. Sunil Sharma (AEE Jal Shakti), Rohit Wadhera (AEE Flood Control), M.P. Singh (AEE), and Sandeep Singh Katoch (SHO Gharota), among others.
