Jammu, October 12, 2025 – A thunderous landslide crashed through Udhampur’s Narsoo-Samroli stretch late last night around 10 PM, mangling a hotel and several shops along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and sending shockwaves through the district. Officials from the district administration, scrambling to the site by midnight, confirmed no casualties – a miracle credited to quick evacuations of nearby buildings hours before the slide hit. By dawn today at 6 AM, PWD teams had the highway partially cleared, but traffic snarls stretched 5 km as cranes hauled debris from the twisted wreckage.
The slip, triggered by recent rains loosening the hillsides, gutted Hotel Samrat and adjoining commercial spots in the bustling Narsoo market, a key pit stop for travelers. DC Udhampur Dr. Owais Ahmed, inspecting by 9 AM with a 20-member team, pegged damages at Rs 2 crore: “Slopes gave way after weeks of erosion; we’re assessing for more risks.” Fire tenders doused minor blazes from snapped wires, while locals pitched in with shovels till noon.
DC promised Rs 50 lakh for immediate fixes and a geological survey by October 15.