JAMMU:  Nine men were rescued Wednesday in a joint operation by police and SDRF teams after they were trapped in the Tawi river following a sudden rise in the water level due to rains that lashed many parts of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said.

Heavy rains also disrupted traffic along Jammu-Srinagar national highway for over three hours this morning, while a couple of vehicles were also washed away due to overflowing of a stream in Rajouri district, the officials said.

Madan Lal (52), a labourer, had gone for sand extraction in the Tawi around 8.45 am but got trapped due to sudden rise in the water level near Jewel chowk bridge in the city.