Three families, comprising 10 members, were evacuated on Monday after land subsidence and the appearance of cracks in residential buildings at Kulthi Chakka Kundi in Rajgarh tehsil of Ramban district, officials said. The affected settlement lies along the banks of the Chenab River.
Immediate response and relief
The administration, revenue officials and rescue teams, including a State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) contingent, visited the locality and shifted the residents to safer locations, Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reported. Temporary accommodation in the form of tents was provided to the displaced families while authorities continued on-site monitoring.
Tehsildar Rajgarh Major Singh said one non-residential structure was washed away and cracks had developed in some houses over the past couple of days as ground movement intensified. He added that the administration was closely monitoring the situation.
"One non-residential structure was washed away, while cracks had developed in some residential houses due to land subsidence over the past couple of days," said Tehsildar Rajgarh Major Singh, according to the report.
Local concerns and hydropower releases
Locals reported additional cracks and damage to several other houses in the area. Some residents expressed concern that the recent water discharge from the Baglihar Hydroelectric Power Project after heavy rains may have contributed to ground instability, though officials cautioned that the exact cause of the subsidence and creaking structures was yet to be established.
The incident follows a period of heavy rainfall that affected several parts of the district, raising fears of further slope instability and riverbank erosion in low-lying settlements along the Chenab.
What authorities are doing
Administrative, revenue and rescue teams carried out the initial evacuation and provided immediate shelter. Officials said technical assessment and continuous monitoring were underway to ascertain the reasons behind the land movement and to evaluate further risk to adjacent habitations.
- People evacuated: 3 families (10 members)
- Immediate shelter provided: Tents
- Structures affected: One non-residential structure washed away; cracks in several houses
- Teams deployed: Local administration, revenue staff, SDRF
- Cause: Under investigation; locals suspect recent releases from Baglihar HEP after heavy rains
Risk context and local impact
Ramban district, located in the Chenab valley, is prone to slope instability and riverbank erosion, particularly after intense rainfall. Land subsidence incidents affect not only immediate housing security but also access to roads and basic services; they can interrupt communications and impede rescue and relief operations if slopes or riverbanks fail further.
Residents in affected villages often face short-term displacement, loss of non-residential structures such as shops or storage units, and mounting anxiety over future releases from upstream hydropower projects during the monsoon. Authorities typically coordinate with disaster response agencies and technical experts to assess landslide risk, stabilise slopes where possible and plan relocations if an area is declared unsafe.
| Parameter | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Kulthi Chakka Kundi, Tehsil Rajgarh, Ramban district |
| River | Chenab |
| People evacuated | 3 families (10 members) |
| Structures affected | One non-residential structure washed away; cracks in residential houses |
| Response teams | Administration, revenue staff, SDRF |
What residents should expect
Authorities are expected to carry out a technical assessment to determine the cause and extent of the subsidence and to inform any further evacuations or mitigation measures. Residents in nearby settlements should remain alert to official advisories, avoid the riverbank and report new cracks or ground movement to local administration. Those displaced will continue to receive temporary shelter while damage assessments and longer-term rehabilitation plans are prepared.
The administration's investigation into whether hydropower releases contributed to the instability is pending, and officials have not yet issued a definitive cause. Further updates are awaited as technical teams study the affected area.
Akashvani Jammu Correspondent reported the developments in Ramban.
