Four persons, who got stuck near an under-construction bridge in Jammu following a sudden increase in the water level of Tawi river, have been retrieved in a 'daring' rescue operation by the Indian Air Force (IAF) on Monday noon. The operation was still underway when the last reports came in. The district administration sought help from the IAF in the view of increasing water level in Tawi river due to heavy rainfall across the region.

Briefing the media about the act of challenge, Sandeep Singh, IAF Chief Operations Officer, Jammu, said, "We received information at 12 pm that some people needed to be rescued, by 12:29 pm helicopter reached the spot. Our Garud Commandos went down and put a hook on fishermen, 4 people were rescued in a short span of time, the operation was successful".

Parts of Jammu has been experiencing rainfall from the last few days, causing damage to several houses and roads and affecting traffic movement on the National Highway 44 between Jammu and Srinagar which connects the Kashmir Valley with the rest parts of India.

However, the NH has been reopened after a three-hour-long blockade due to the landslide triggered by heavy rain in Udhampur district this morning. There was a landslide due to heavy rain at the Khari Passi area on the highway early in the morning. Men and machinery were pressed into service to clear the blockade, officials said, adding that traffic was later restored on the highway.

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Watch the 'DARING' rescue operation here:

Jammu & Kashmir: People stuck near an under-construction bridge in JAMMU after a sudden increase in water-level of Tawi river. Rescue operation underway. pic.twitter.com/oi4774ffMS

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019

#UPDATE Jammu & Kashmir: Two more persons have been rescued after they got stuck near a bridge in JAMMU following a sudden increase in the water level of Tawi river. pic.twitter.com/JI6oWRtR5B

— ANI (@ANI) August 19, 2019

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Last week, incessant rainfall had brought life to a complete halt in Kathua, Reasi and Udhampur districts. In Kathua, landslides shut many roads while several nomadic families got trapped in flash floods. Several areas were waterlogged, causing losses to household items, cattle and shops in the main Kathua market.

According to reports, the link road connecting the upcoming Kathua Medical College with the national highway got washed away due to flash floods in a rivulet while a bus ferrying passenger also got trapped along the Jammu-Pathankot national highway near the Hatli Morh area due to waterlogging. All passengers were, however, safely evacuated.

There are also reports of floods in Ujh river, leading to losses of crops in the lower Rajbagh area. Fourteen nomadic families, which got trapped in the flash floods in the Ujh near the Rajbagh and Pandori areas, were evacuated by the police along with the help of a team of the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).

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In the main Kathua town, the flood water entered many shops and houses in low-lying areas such as Krishna Nagar, Ward Number 7 and 8 and parts of the main bazaar, causing losses. Landslides on the Bani-Basohli and Dhar roads on the Punjab side also led to the blocking of the traffic movement. Sources said a border outpost along the International Border in the Samba sector had also suffered minor damage due to flash flood in a rivulet.