Torrential rain across Jammu and Kashmir killed a mother and her daughter, marooned a village and triggered landslides that blocked key roads, including the Srinagar-Jammu highway, on Wednesday.

As many as 170 people, mostly pilgrims, have died in weather-related incidents across the Union Territory in the last three days. Several roads, homes and other infrastructure have been reduced to rubble.

Sita Devi and her daughter Sonia Rattan died on Wednesday when their house collapsed in Rajouri district’s Kangri village near Subderbani amid heavy rain, officials said.

As many as 45 people were marooned in a flooded village at Garkhal in Jammu’s Akhnoor following the rise in the water level of the Chenab.

The Border Security Force pressed its helicopter to launch a high-risk rescue operation to evacuate the trapped villagers after the police and NDRF and SDRF teams failed to reach them.

The fresh spell of rain started on Tuesday and intensified on Wednesday. Schools and other educational institutions across the region remained shut in anticipation of the inclement weather.

All major rivers in the Union Territory, including the Jhelum in Kashmir and the Chenab and Tawi in Jammu, were flowing above the danger level. Several low-lying areas were submerged, leading to the relocation of hundreds of residents to safer areas.

Officials said landslides blocked a dozen roads, including the Jammu-Srinagar highway, where hundreds of vehicles were stranded. Mughal Road, Simthan Anantnag Road and other key arteries, including the Jammu-Rajouri-Poonch highway, the Batote-Doda-Kishtwar highway and Sonamarg-Srinagar-Gumari Road, were also cut off.

Throughout the day, the administration advised people against using these roads or going near the water bodies until the weather improved and restoration work was completed.

An officer said no vehicles would be allowed to proceed from Jakheni in Udhampur to Srinagar because of land subsidence at Thard, Udhampur.

“There were landslides, mudslides and shooting stones at multiple places on the highway,” he said.

No vehicular movement was allowed from Nagrota (Jammu) towards Reasi, Chenani, Patnitop, Doda, Ramban and Banihal in Jammu.

Some of the areas that received the maximum rainfall included Reasi (203mm), Katra town (193mm) and Batote (157.3mm).

The pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hills remained suspended for the ninth day on Wednesday, marking the longest break since the Covid-19 restrictions.

The Yatra was discontinued on August 26, a couple of hours before a major landslide triggered by rains struck the old route near Ardhkuwari and killed 34 pilgrims and injured 20 others.

The shrine board, helmed by lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha, is facing criticism for allowing the Yatra despite adverse weather warnings, prompting the government to order a probe.

There is no indication that the Yatra will resume anytime soon.