SRINAGAR: Four more persons, including a couple, died in rain-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, taking the death toll due to the weather fury in the Union Territory over the past four days to 26. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary and National Conference MP Mian Altaf escaped unhurt after landslides hit their cavalcades in the flood-hit Rajouri and Poonch districts, respectively.
Police said a passenger tempo was hit by shooting stones triggered by incessant rains near the Gangroo area of Ramsoo on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway in Ramban district on Wednesday.
The vehicle suffered extensive damage after being struck by falling rocks, leaving seven occupants injured.
The injured were rushed to a nearby hospital, where two of them succumbed to their injuries, while five others are undergoing treatment.
The deceased were identified as Nazir Ahmed and his wife, Shakeela Begum.
The Jammu region and parts of the Valley have been experiencing incessant rainfall, which has led to flash floods, landslides and shooting stones at many places.
In central Kashmir's Budgam district, rescuers recovered the body of newly married man Shabir Ahmad Paswal, who had gone missing after being swept away by floodwaters while attempting to cross a swollen nallah on Tuesday.
The Beerwah area of Budgam witnessed widespread devastation as flash floods triggered by incessant rainfall caused the Sukhnag River to swell and overflow, inundating downstream areas.
A municipal shopping complex housing more than 30 shops near the Beerwah bus stand was washed away by the raging floodwaters. The dramatic collapse of the structure was captured on video.
In another tragic incident, a 14-year-old boy, Amir Khatana, and his mother, Gudi Begam, were swept away by flash floods in Bandipora in north Kashmir.
Officials said the boy's body was retrieved from a stream, while search and rescue teams are continuing efforts to trace the body of his missing mother.
With the latest fatalities, the death toll from rain-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir has risen to 26 in four days, while nine persons, including three members of a family, remain missing.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary escaped unhurt after a mudslide struck the Chingus-Rajouri road while his cavalcade was passing through the area.
Traffic was temporarily halted before officials cleared the debris, allowing the convoy to resume its journey.
Officials said NC MP Mian Altaf also had a narrow escape after his vehicle got trapped in the middle of the road as mud and debris engulfed the stretch at Madana near Surankote in Poonch district, where he had gone to review the flood situation.
The MP had to abandon the vehicle and rush to safety.
The MeT has warned of the possibility of heavy rain and brief intense heavy showers in a few districts of Jammu and Kashmir, with heavy to very heavy rain expected over a few districts of the Jammu region during the next 24 hours.
"There is a possibility of flash floods, landslides and mudslides at many vulnerable places during the next 24-48 hours," the MeT said, urging residents to exercise extreme caution.
