JAMMU: Eight people, including five children, were killed after heavy rains triggered landslides and left several houses damaged in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district on Wednesday, officials said.
Kathua Deputy Commissioner Rakesh Minhas ordered an immediate ex-gratia relief of Rs 50,000 to the kin of the deceased.
"We have eight confirmed deaths in rain-related incidents. The administration is keeping a close watch on the flood-like situation developing in the district," Minhas told PTI.
Expressing condolences over the loss of lives, he said an immediate relief of Rs 50,000 for the next of kin of the deceased and Rs 25,000 to those injured was sanctioned.
Braving incessant rains, rescuers comprising police, Army, SDRF and locals worked for hours together to retrieve the bodies of five members of two families from the debris of their houses at Surjan village, he said.
A police official identified the deceased as Zareena Begum (40), her two sons Shahbaz Ahmad (14) and Arbaz (2), Nazia Tabassum (14) and her brother Mohd Asif (12).
At Sitti village, 13-year-old Ajay Singh came under a landslide near his house, while the body of Naseema Begum (55) was also recovered after she came under a landslide near her house at Drangal-Mandote, the official said.
Sham Lal (50) also died after coming under the debris of a landslide at Bhuldi Nallah near Daggar while he was trying to clear a water passage to avoid damage to his house, he said, adding Lal's body was recovered and handed over to his family.
The official said while two houses were completely damaged, several others suffered partial damages due to heavy rains in the district.
A number of low-lying areas especially near the banks of Ujh river and its tributaries were left inundated, prompting police to request people to move to safer places.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the loss of lives in the rain-related incidents and said he had directed the district administration to provide all possible aid to the bereaved families who have lost their near and dear ones as well as medical assistance to the injured.
Union minister Jitendra Singh also took to Twitter to express his sadness about the casualties in his parliamentary constituency due to incessant rains.
Singh said he is in constant touch with the deputy commissioner and SSP Kathua Shivdeep Singh Jamwal and said all possible assistance is being provided.