In Jammu and Kashmir at least 11 people were killed and seven others went missing as torrential rains triggered landslides and flash floods in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch early morning today. Our Correspondent reports, the worst devastation was reported from Surankote tehsil in Poonch district, where most of the fatalities occurred. A multi-agency rescue operation is underway to trace the missing amid continuing rain and damaged roads.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reviewed the situation and directed officials to ensure immediate relief and assistance to the affected families. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, cut short his visit to Delhi and returned to Jammu this afternoon.
Torrential rains triggered widespread devastation in the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch. In Surankote’s Lower Murrah village, a landslide buried a house with eight occupants. Bodies of five persons, including a two-year-old boy, have been recovered, while the search continues for the remaining missing persons. Four members of another family went missing after their house was washed away by flash floods in Sangla village.
A 28-year-old woman was killed after her house collapsed in Noonabandi village of Poonch district. Her husband and three children, aged between two and six years, were rescued and shifted to hospital. A 22-year-old youth also lost his life in a house collapse at Sanglani-Surankote, while a minor girl drowned in a stream at Marhote village. The body of an unidentified woman was recovered from a stream near Dhundak Lathoong bridge in Surankote. In Haveli tehsil of Poonch, one person was killed and another critically injured after nearly half a dozen houses collapsed. In Rajouri town, the body of a woman was recovered from a river after flash floods inundated low-lying areas, forcing hundreds of residents to move to safer locations.
Dozens of vehicles were swept away or submerged after overflowing rivers breached their banks, causing widespread disruption. Rescue and relief teams, assisted by the local administration, were engaged in evacuating affected families and assessing the damage. The Meteorological Department has warned of moderate to heavy rainfall across Jammu and Kashmir till July 23. Meanwhile, the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch witnessed relentless rain since last evening. After a night of heavy downpour, rivers and streams overflowed, raising concerns in several low-lying areas.
