SRINAGAR: A cloudburst triggered by heavy rains struck Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir, killing four people, while one person is missing. In a separate incident, seven members of a family were killed after a landslide hit a village in neighbouring Reasi district.
An official said the cloudburst struck the Rajgarh tehsil of Ramban district early this morning. It triggered landslides and flash floods in the area. Several houses were also damaged.
Authorities have launched a rescue and search operation in the area. Teams from the SDRF, police, local civil government agencies, and residents have joined efforts to rescue the person trapped under debris.
The MeT had predicted heavy rains, cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods in the Jammu region, including Ramban district. Ramban and other parts of the region experienced heavy rainfall overnight.
Meanwhile, a massive landslide triggered by heavy rains struck Badar village in the Mahore area of Reasi district. Sources said a house was flattened by the landslide, and seven people present inside—including a couple and their five children—are feared dead.
The couple has been identified as 38-year-old Nazir Ahmed and his wife, Wazira Begum.
Rescue operations are ongoing, with SDRF, police, civil agencies, and locals working to reach those trapped in the debris.
Expressing sorrow over the tragic incidents, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah directed officials to ensure round-the-clock monitoring and carry out timely evacuation of residents from risk-prone zones.
Taking note of the continuous heavy rains, the chief minister appealed to people to remain alert, avoid vulnerable areas, and strictly adhere to safety advisories.
"He has directed the district administration and disaster management authorities to remain on the ground, ensure round-the-clock monitoring, carry out timely evacuation of residents from risk-prone zones, and provide immediate relief and all possible assistance to the affected families," the chief minister's office said in a post on X.
Abdullah has further instructed the concerned departments to remain vigilant, coordinate closely, and take every precautionary measure to safeguard lives in the inclement weather.
On the Ramban incident, the chief minister has directed the administration to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations.
There have been multiple cloudburst incidents in J&K in the last fortnight, causing significant loss of life. On August 14, a cloudburst triggered landslides and flash floods in the remote Chesoti village of mountainous Kishtwar district, on the route to Mata Machail temple, killing 68 people. Thirty-two people are still missing, and rescue operations continue.
On August 26, a landslide triggered by a massive cloudburst struck the route to the Vaishno Devi shrine, killing 34 people, mostly pilgrims, and injuring 23 others. Relief and rescue operations at the site are still ongoing.
