A cloudburst in Jammu’s Doda town triggered flash floods and landslides in the region, leading to widespread devastation on Wednesday.

As rainfall continued to batter Jammu, critical infrastructure such as rail and air transport and digital connectivity with the rest of the country came to a grinding halt. With no way in or out of Jammu, several video productions have been put on pause.

Irfan Ahmed Dar, a local light technician who was on his way to Jammu for a shoot, tells us, “I have gotten stuck in Srinagar. A section of a bridge connecting Jammu to other cities collapsed. The government, with help from the Armed Forces, is trying to provide support.” He adds, “However, progress is slow owing to both the flooding and the fact that telephone lines are done. Shoots at Dal Lake had been carrying on as normal, but those were also halted on Wednesday.”

‘Can’t get in touch with my parents’

Actor Iqbal Khan shares that he hasn’t been able to speak to his parents. “My parents are stuck in Srinagar; I haven’t been able to get in touch with them since morning. While there’s no rain in Srinagar like there is in Jammu, networks are completely blocked and there is no internet. I even received a voicemail from my father asking me to call him on his number, but unfortunately I’ve had no luck.”

‘Situation is challenging’

Actor Aly Goni, who recently returned from the region, tells us, “The situation is challenging, with waterlogging, landslides, transport disruptions.” While his mum is with him in Mumbai, he shares, “My father and other relatives are in Jammu. Though networks were disrupted, I was eventually able to speak to dad; they are all fine, so it’s a big relief. But such natural calamities are a real test for us all.”