J-K rain: restoration work ongoing in Doda district; toll reaches 4

Doda (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], August 27 (ANI): Operations to clear highways and provide relief to people have begun in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district, which has seen widespread destruction due to heavy rain, said Harvinder Singh, Deputy Commissioner of the district.
"The rain is expected to end today, and the weather has started to clear. Operations to clear highways and provide relief to people have begun, with teams deployed in Thathri and other locations. The highway is expected to be restored by evening," Singh told ANI.
He said that four people have died in rain-related incidents in the district.
"Landslides have also occurred on the highway at 4-5 locations; restoration work is ongoing. The death toll is four so far. No further damage is expected to be incurred to residential and commercial structures... Internet and mobile connectivity will also be restored soon... People are advised to stay away from water bodies...," he said.
"There was heavy rainfall; it has not been officially declared a cloud burst by the IMD... Schools and colleges are expected to remain closed tomorrow, with senior officers making the final decision," he added.
Meanwhile, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi yatra has been suspended due to a landslide and heavy rainfall. Thirty people have lost their lives in the landslide near the shrine at Ardhkuwari in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi on Tuesday.
Several devotees said the situation was chaotic following the landslide.
"I am from Banaras. The landslides started happening at the Garbh Joon Gufa temple (Ardhkuwari)... The situation was chaotic... People started coming downwards via the Tarakote marg... The ambulances were running to and fro quickly... The yatra has been halted. The returnees are coming down via the Tarakote marg," a devotee at Vaishno Devi, Katra, Satish Kumar told ANI.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated on Wednesday that Jammu and Kashmir is still struggling with almost nonexistent communication, as the Union Territory reels from the damage caused by heavy rain.
"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, things like X open frustratingly slowly, WhatsApp struggles with anything more than short text messages. Haven't felt this disconnected since the terrible days of 2014 & 2019," the Chief Minister said in a post on X. (ANI)