JAMMU: At least seven people, including five children, died Sunday in flash floods and landslides triggered by a cloudburst and heavy rain in Rajbagh-Ghati area of J&K’s Kathua. The fury unfolded barely three days after a cloudburst claimed 61 lives and cut a swathe of destruction in Kishtwar’s Chishoti, around 300km away.
In Kathua, the tragedy struck Jodh Ghati of Rajbagh and Bagra of Janglote as water bodies and rivulets swelled and submerged villages in the zone. Army, police and SDRF teams have launched rescue operations. The weather office has forecast heavy rain in the region till Aug 19.
A man and his two minor sons lost their lives in Jodh Ghati, the site of the cloudburst, snapping access to the village and damaging several mud houses as flash floods hit the pocket, catching people unawares. A mother-daughter died in a landslide in Bagra village of Janglote. The children who died were aged between two and fifteen. At least six others were injured.
Besides houses, railway tracks and some stretches of the key Jammu-Kathua National Highway in Janglot and adjoining areas have suffered damage, officials said.
Flood waters gushed into several houses in low-lying areas of Kathua city --- the gateway to Mata Vaishno Devi hill shrine. With more rain forecast, authorities ordered closure of all schools across Kathua on Monday as a precautionary measure. Police issued an advisory urging people to avoid travel, unless absolutely necessary, and avoid going near water bodies.
Movement of trains was disrupted along the pivotal Jammu-Kathua-Pathankot route as some rivulets swelled above danger levels, threatening to swamp tracks and bridges. Many local services were cancelled and several long-distance expresses short-terminated as trains were run along only one of the two tracks.
In the worst-hit Jodh Ghati area, a viral video showed collapsed mud-houses and survivors trying to pull out a half-buried girl from rubble. Some others were seen frantically searching for the missing.
J&K lieutenant-governor (LG) Manoj Sinha described the tragedy as “mind-numbing”. “Deeply anguished by the loss of lives in the devastating rain-triggered landslides in several areas of Kathua. Briefed Union home minister Amit Shah on relief operations,” Sinha posted on X.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief. “He conveyed heartfelt condolences to bereaved families, prayed for speedy recovery of the injured, and assured all necessary assistance,” Omar’s office posted on X.
Union minister and local BJP MP Jitendra Singh also condoled the deaths and promised all help. “Helicopter services have been arranged for shifting the injured to hospitals,” Singh wrote on X.
Kathua district development commissioner Rajesh Sharma led other senior officers in supervising relief operations. “#IndianArmy Columns on the ground in #Kathua — rescuing families, giving hope, food & care after the #Cloudburst,” a spokesperson for the Army’s Rising Star Corps posted on X.
In Kathua, the tragedy struck Jodh Ghati of Rajbagh and Bagra of Janglote as water bodies and rivulets swelled and submerged villages in the zone. Army, police and SDRF teams have launched rescue operations. The weather office has forecast heavy rain in the region till Aug 19.
A man and his two minor sons lost their lives in Jodh Ghati, the site of the cloudburst, snapping access to the village and damaging several mud houses as flash floods hit the pocket, catching people unawares. A mother-daughter died in a landslide in Bagra village of Janglote. The children who died were aged between two and fifteen. At least six others were injured.
Besides houses, railway tracks and some stretches of the key Jammu-Kathua National Highway in Janglot and adjoining areas have suffered damage, officials said.
Flood waters gushed into several houses in low-lying areas of Kathua city --- the gateway to Mata Vaishno Devi hill shrine. With more rain forecast, authorities ordered closure of all schools across Kathua on Monday as a precautionary measure. Police issued an advisory urging people to avoid travel, unless absolutely necessary, and avoid going near water bodies.
Movement of trains was disrupted along the pivotal Jammu-Kathua-Pathankot route as some rivulets swelled above danger levels, threatening to swamp tracks and bridges. Many local services were cancelled and several long-distance expresses short-terminated as trains were run along only one of the two tracks.
In the worst-hit Jodh Ghati area, a viral video showed collapsed mud-houses and survivors trying to pull out a half-buried girl from rubble. Some others were seen frantically searching for the missing.
J&K lieutenant-governor (LG) Manoj Sinha described the tragedy as “mind-numbing”. “Deeply anguished by the loss of lives in the devastating rain-triggered landslides in several areas of Kathua. Briefed Union home minister Amit Shah on relief operations,” Sinha posted on X.
Chief minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief. “He conveyed heartfelt condolences to bereaved families, prayed for speedy recovery of the injured, and assured all necessary assistance,” Omar’s office posted on X.
Union minister and local BJP MP Jitendra Singh also condoled the deaths and promised all help. “Helicopter services have been arranged for shifting the injured to hospitals,” Singh wrote on X.
Kathua district development commissioner Rajesh Sharma led other senior officers in supervising relief operations. “#IndianArmy Columns on the ground in #Kathua — rescuing families, giving hope, food & care after the #Cloudburst,” a spokesperson for the Army’s Rising Star Corps posted on X.
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