Life-Threatening Scenes as Tawi River Swells in Jammu
When rain hit hard and sudden in Jammu on June 25, 2025, it wasn't just another wet morning. The Tawi River, usually manageable, turned fierce in hours, putting lives on the line. Neighbors and rescue crews raced to the scene as word spread: nine people, including a 52-year-old labourer named Madan Lal, were trapped by rapidly rising waters near the Tawi Bridge. He had been extracting sand, just doing his daily work, when the river swelled without warning. Time ticked by—almost two hours—before teams found a safe way to reach him.
This rescue was no easy feat. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), working with police, traffic officials, and even volunteers from the area, brought in ropes and ladders. Visuals from the site show tense moments—a rescuer climbing down a ladder to grab a stranded man gripping a rope in the river’s wild current. These quick-thinking rescuers also managed to get eight others—including people performing Tawi River rituals for lost loved ones—out before the water could sweep them away. As if that wasn’t enough, several horses stuck in the surge needed help too, their rescue adding extra urgency to the already frantic effort.
Landslides Block National Highway, Emergency Response Ramps Up
The drama in the river was matched by chaos on the roads. Heavy rainfall caused landslides and mudslides early that morning, blocking the crucial Jammu-Srinagar National Highway around Ramban’s Mehad stretch and the T2 tunnel. A solid three-hour standstill followed, stranding trucks and travelers. Road clearance teams hustled with heavy equipment to clear debris so traffic could finally start moving again—a relief for thousands relying on this lifeline, especially during monsoon spikes.
While the SDRF wrestled with raging water and urgent calls, authorities in Reasi and Poonch districts scrambled to review their own flood and landslide readiness. Local Deputy Commissioners toured affected spots like Qazi Mohra, checking on families, tallying damage, and rolling out immediate relief. In Poonch, an impromptu meeting focused solely on beefing up disaster plans, so future rescue teams might have a smoother path.
This burst of extreme weather brought one silver lining: a dip in temperature that cut through the usual summer heat. But for the folks in Jammu and neighboring areas, the sudden relief was overshadowed by scenes of rescue teams risking everything. The viral videos shared across social media highlight just how close call it was for many—and remind everyone how quickly nature can flip from calm to dangerous in a matter of hours.
