Catastrophic Sinkhole Devastates Ramban: Land Sinks, Homes Crumble.
April 27, 2024
||Black and White Digital News||
Catastrophic Sinkhole Devastates Ramban
A harrowing disaster struck Ramban district in Jammu and Kashmir as more than 50 homes, four electricity towers, a vital receiving station, and a major roadway were ravaged due to a catastrophic sinkhole, leaving scores of families displaced and communities in turmoil.
The calamity, which unfolded in the serene village of Pernote, located a mere five kilometers from the district headquarters, unfolded Thursday evening with alarming suddenness. Residents were taken aback as fissures began to fracture homes and roads, culminating in a terrifying collapse of the earth beneath their feet.
Ramban’s Deputy Commissioner, Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary, embarked on a poignant visit to the stricken site on Friday morning. With steely determination etched on his face, he pledged resolute support to affected families and vowed to spearhead the restoration of crucial services, including the resumption of electricity.
“This is a natural calamity of unprecedented proportions, and as the district’s steward, I assume full responsibility for ensuring the well-being of those impacted,” declared Commissioner Choudhary, flanked by the District Development Council Chairperson Shamshad Shan.
The swift action included mobilizing geological experts to probe the root cause of this cataclysmic event, while dedicated district teams toiled tirelessly to oversee the rehabilitation of displaced residents and reinstate essential utilities.
“The earth is still in flux, and our foremost priority is the reinstatement of vital services such as roads and electricity. We will furnish tents and essential supplies and orchestrate medical facilities for those affected,” affirmed the Deputy Commissioner, radiating fortitude amidst the chaos.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Commissioner Choudhary issued a call for calm, urging residents to exercise caution and prudence in safeguarding their lives against further potential threats.
The valiant response extended beyond officialdom, with local volunteers uniting alongside specialized SDRF and NDRF units to aid families in salvaging their belongings from perilous dwellings.
Mirroring the resilient spirit of the community, officials orchestrated an alternate route via Sumber-Digdoal to reinstate connectivity between Gool sub-division and the district’s nerve center.
This disastrous episode bears haunting echoes of a similar tragedy in February last year, when Duksar Dalwa village in the Sangaldan area bore the brunt of land subsidence, resulting in the loss of sixteen homes and severing vital road links.
While investigations are underway, early hypotheses point towards environmental factors, possibly exacerbated by deforestation in the region. The thinning of forests, known for anchoring soil and regulating water flow, might have contributed to the destabilization of land, triggering this colossal catastrophe.
As Ramban grapples with the aftermath of this monumental calamity, the indomitable spirit of its inhabitants shines through in their collective resolve to rise from the rubble and forge a path towards renewal.
Tags: #Catastrophic sinkhole, #Ramban district, #Jammu and Kashmir, #Natural disaster, #Landslide, #Rehabilitation, #Resilience, #Environmental factors, #Deforestation, #Community support
