At least seven people were killed and 13 others injured after cloudburst triggered flash floods in Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir.
The calamity struck Jodh Ghati village of Rajbagh and Bagra village of Janglote amid heavy overnight rains in the district in the early hours today, leading to increase in level of water bodies and submerging many low-lying areas.
The cloudburst in Kathua came three days after flash floods triggered by cloudburst struck Chisoti village in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on August 14, leaving 60 people dead and more than 100 injured
Officials said seven people have died, and many have been injured in parts of the district due to the tragedy.
“There were reports of cloudbursts in the upper reaches of the Ghati area,” they said, adding that heavy rain caused flash floods, causing damage to houses and other infrastructural structures.
Moreover, railway tracks and stretches of the Jammu–Kathua National Highway in Janglot and adjoining areas have also suffered damage, officials said.
They said roads were waterlogged and the flood water has also entered many houses in the old city of Kathua.
The teams of Jammu and Kashmir Police, SDRF, NDRF and CRPF men, volunteers reached the spot and launched a massive rescue operation in the affected villages.
The deceased were identified as Renu Devi, 39, wife of Parveen Singh and her daughter Radhika, nine years, residents of village Bhangar, Janglot, Kathua, Surmu Din, 30, his sons Fanu (six), Shedu (five), Tahu ( two years), son of Habib Din, Zulfan, (15) daughter of Bashir Ahmed, residents of Jode, Ghati, tehsil Rajbagh, Kathua.
The injured were identified as Karoom Begum, 26, Rafia Begum (four), Arshea Begum (six), Parveen Akhtar, (eight), Gogli Begum (26) and Nageena (3 months).
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh posted on X, “Helicopter services have been arranged for shifting the injured to appropriate hospitals. Six injured have been airlifted for hospitalisation in Mamoon, Pathankot, which was found to be a relatively nearer destination.”
“DIG Police, Shiv Kumar Sharma, along with his team, is camping at the spot and is in constant touch with me. Further assistance will be arranged, as and when required,” he said.
Earlier, he said that he spoke to SSP Kathua Shobhit Saxena after receiving information about a cloud burst in the Janglote area. Casualties were reported and in addition, damage has occurred to Railway track, National Highway while Police Station Kathua has been affected.
The civilian Administration, Military and Paramilitary have swung into action, and the situation is being continuously monitored, he said, and expressed condolences to the families of the deceased.
A video on social media showed a couple of collapsed mud-houses belonging to the victims with survivors trying to pull out a half-buried girl from the rubble and frantically searching for missing persons.
Police in Kathua asked the people especially living in hilly areas to stay at home and not to move close to the water bodies as there is every apprehension of flash flood owing to heavy rains.
“For any emergency please contact the nearest Police Station or call on helpline numbers: 9858034100 or 112,” the police said.
Train traffic has been disrupted along the Jammu-Pathankot rail line following the cloudburst, prompting authorities to cancel local train service from Udhampur to Pathankote section.
An official said that due to continuous heavy rainfall it has been decided to suspend services till further notice between Udhampur and Pathankot.
The suspension is a result of heavy, non-stop rain for the last 10 hours, which has made the tracks unsafe for operation, the official said.
This measure has been taken for the safety and security of all passengers, the official said.