WATCH | Three men rescued from Chenab after sudden rise in water level

Three men were stranded in the Chenab River after a sudden rise in its water level, prompting a rescue operation that went on for hours late Saturday (Aug 22). The incident happened in Jammu’s Akhnoor, following which a joint mission was launched involving the Jammu Police, Army and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) in Akhnoor

According to a PTI report, the three men have been identified as Sunil Kumar, Arjun Dev Singh and Manik Kumar. They had gone for an evening outing and were sitting on the banks of the river at Chandian Ghat when the water level rose sharply at around 8 pm, leaving them stranded in the middle of the river.

The men moved onto a rock for safety as the current around them grew, making it difficult to return to the shore. After noticing they had been stranded, nearby people alerted the police. Akhnoor Police personnel reached the spot soon after and sought assistance from the Army and SDRF as the rescue operation got underway. Officials said the teams faced difficult conditions because of the strong current and rising water levels. The sudden surge was triggered by heavy rainfall in the river’s catchment area.

After nearly two hours of hectic efforts, the three men were safely evacuated from the river, officials said.

The incident has prompted local authorities to caution residents against venturing close to the Chenab, particularly during the monsoon season. Police have advised people to avoid the river at night and remain alert, as water levels can rise suddenly following heavy rain upstream.