Ramban, August 24: Three families comprising 10 members were evacuated to safer locations after land subsidence triggered cracks in residential houses at Kulthi Chakka Kundi in Rajgarh tehsil of Ramban district, officials said on Monday.
The ground movement along the Chenab River embankment caused panic among residents, with authorities taking precautionary measures amid concerns over the impact of recent heavy rains in the region.
Administrative, revenue and rescue teams rushed to the affected village after cracks appeared in several houses. The families were shifted to safer locations and provided tents for temporary accommodation.
Rajgarh Tehsildar Major Singh said one non-residential structure belonging to Bhagat Ram was washed away, while cracks developed in the houses of Chaat Ram, Chaman Lal and Bhushan Lal.
Singh said he inspected the affected area along with a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team and supervised the evacuation.
“The Naib Tehsildar and other officials are stationed in the village and are closely monitoring the situation,” he said.
Residents also reported cracks and damage to several other houses, including those belonging to Dev Raj, Hari Ram, Santosh Singh, Fallal Singh and Shashram.
Locals expressed apprehension that recent water releases from the Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project, following heavy rainfall, may have contributed to the ground instability. Officials, however, said the exact cause of the land subsidence and cracks had not yet been established.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in neighbouring Doda district, an SDRF team rescued a non-local worker who was swept away by strong currents in the Chenab River near Pul Doda on Monday morning.
The worker, employed as an operator of a sand-extraction machine, was reportedly working for a private company that had been awarded the sand-extraction contract in the area. The sand-extraction boat was also swept away.
Officials said efforts were underway to retrieve the machinery from the river.
