Jammu, Aug 1: The flash floods triggered by a cloudburst swept the Chatroo area of Kishtwar district early Saturday, forcing closure of the schools while cloudburst hit a Shopian village causing damage to five houses and a school building.

A cloudburst struck Chatroo at around 2.30 am, triggering flash floods that caused widespread damage, they said.

The sudden deluge inundated the main market with boulders, mud and slush, and rendered the Kishtwar–Chatroo–Sinthan National Highway out of bounds.

At least two vehicles parked along the banks of a local stream were swept away, while several shops and houses were inundated, officials said.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said he spoke to Kishtwar Deputy Commissioner Pankaj Kumar Sharma shortly after receiving reports of the cloudburst.

The minister said though no loss of life was reported in the incident.

He said affected shopkeepers and business owners would be provided compensation in accordance with the government's relief norms.

Singh said the government has strengthened disaster preparedness in the district following last year's devastating Chasoti cloudburst that left 63 people, mostly devotees visiting Machail Mata shrine, dead. Around 30 people who went missing after the incident are still to be traced.

The minister said the Union Ministry of Earth Sciences has installed one Early Warning Systems (EWS) each in Kishtwar and Machhail to improve advance weather monitoring and provide timely alerts during extreme weather events.

An automatic weather station is also being installed in the Padder area, he said.

In view of inclement weather, authorities in three districts of the Chenab valley region — Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban — ordered the closure of all government and private schools today in view of the prevailing heavy rainfall and adverse weather conditions.

In an order, the Chief Education Officer, Kishtwar, cited heavy rainfall, slippery road conditions and the possibility of shooting stones posing a risk to the safety of students and staff. All Heads of Institutions have been directed to ensure that online classes are conducted through appropriate digital platforms so that academic activities remain uninterrupted, the order said.

Similar orders were issued by the Chief Education Officers of Doda and Ramban districts, both citing adverse weather and directing that online classes continue as per schedule.

Meanwhile, the cloudburst triggered by intense rainfall caused a heavy flow of water and mud at Pehlipora area in south Kashmir’s Shopian district.

The flash floods inundated five residential houses and one school building in the locality.

The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) Shopian launched a swift rescue and evacuation operation following a cloudburst in the Pehlipora area of the district.

SDRF teams along with local police reached the spot promptly and safely evacuated residents from the affected area.

Authorities confirmed that no loss of life has been reported in the incident so far.

Damage assessment and relief measures are underway, the officials said.