J-K: Ramnagar-Udhampur road blocked after landslide near Kaugha; debris clearance underway

Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 4 (ANI): The Ramnagar-Udhampur road near Kaugha was closed to traffic on Saturday morning after heavy rainfall triggered a major landslide in the region, leaving the route blocked for commuters.
Local authorities reached the spot soon after the incident and confirmed that a debris removal machine has been deployed to clear large boulders from the road and restore movement.
Speaking to ANI, road contractor and a local of Ramnagar, Pushpinder Singh, explained that commuters faced travel disruptions after boulders descended onto the road near Kaugha, necessitating rapid clearance operations by local maintenance crews.
"We received a message around 7.00 AM that the road has been blocked. We arranged for machinery and will clear the road within an hour to ensure the smooth resumption of traffic for the public," he said,
Meanwhile, Sub-Divisional Magistrate Gandoh Arun Kumar Badyal advised residents to avoid landslide-prone areas and exercise caution in view of the prevailing weather conditions, warning of risks of landslides, flash floods and road blockages.
He also urged people to remain alert and avoid unnecessary travel.
Authorities have appealed to the public to stay vigilant as heavy rainfall continues in the region.
Furthermore, on Tuesday, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said that the monthly average rainfall over the country as a whole during July 2026 is most likely to be below normal.
According to an IMD press release, the long-period average (LPA) of rainfall over the country as a whole during July, based on data from 1971-2020, may be about 280.4 mm. Regionally, below-normal rainfall is likely across most parts of the country except some areas of Northwest and Northeast India, Eastcentral India and the eastern peninsular region, where normal to above-normal rainfall is likely.
Currently, weak El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions are prevailing over the equatorial Pacific Ocean and neutral Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) conditions are being observed over the Indian Ocean. The model forecast indicates that neutral IOD conditions are likely to persist during the Southwest Monsoon season.
IMD issued the first stage forecast for the 2026 southwest monsoon seasonal (June to September) rainfall over the country on April 13 and updated the forecast on May 29.
India recorded its fifth-lowest June rainfall since 1901, while the southwest monsoon is set to advance into Delhi and parts of Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan and the entire Jammu and Kashmir in the next two to three days, India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Tuesday.
The country received 99.5 mm of rainfall against the normal 165.3 mm, a 39.8 per cent deficit, recording the fifth lowest June rainfall since 1901. Of the country's 36 meteorological subdivisions, 24 (65 per cent) recorded deficient rainfall, and three (10 per cent) witnessed large deficient rainfall during June. (ANI)