At least 11 people lost their lives in two separate weather-related tragedies in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, as a cloudburst struck Ramban district and a landslide flattened a home in Reasi, officials said.
In Ramban’s mountainous Rajgarh area, a cloudburst around 11.30 pm on Friday triggered flash floods that swept through Drubla-Gudgram village, damaging two residential houses, a cowshed and a school building.
“Bodies of four people were recovered from underneath the debris after a hectic search by rescuers, comprising local volunteers, police and SDRF,” Deputy Commissioner of Ramban, Mohammad Alyas Khan, told PTI.
The deceased were identified as Ashwani Sharma (24), his brother Dwarka Nath (55), niece Virta Devi (26) and their guest Om Raj (38), a resident of Banshara in Rajgarh. Rescuers are still searching for Sharma’s sister-in-law, Bidya Devi (55).
“The cloudburst happened on the hilltop village near the primary school and created a fast-flowing stream through the Drubla-Gudgram village, washing away two residential houses and a cowshed, besides the school building,” Ajay Kumar, a local resident, said.
He praised the prompt response of the district administration and the quick reaction team of local volunteers led by Bashir Ahmad Magray.
“The district administration is on high alert and is extending all possible assistance to the affected families,” Khan said.
In Reasi’s Mahore area, tragedy struck when a landslide buried the home of Nazir Ahmad, 38, in Badder village. Ahmad, his wife Wazira Begum (35), and their five children — Bilal Ahmed (13), Mohd Mustafa (11), Mohd Adil (8), Mohd Mubarak (6) and Mohd Wasim (5) — were killed while they slept. Locals and police later recovered all seven bodies from the debris.
The twin incidents come amid extreme weather that has battered Jammu and Kashmir in recent weeks.
Over the last fortnight, more than 160 people have died in rain-related disasters, including 65 pilgrims in Kishtwar’s Chishoti village during the Machail Mata Yatra and 30 near the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra. Massive damage to infrastructure has been reported, with the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway blocked at multiple points and train services to Katra suspended for the fifth straight day.
All government and private schools across the Jammu division will remain closed till August 30, with authorities advising institutions to conduct online classes for senior students where feasible.
Union minister Jitendra Singh, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister Abdullah expressed grief and assured all possible assistance to the affected families.
CM Omar Abdullah, while reviewing the situation, expressed concern over the scale of destruction. Speaking to ANI, he said: "If it had rained for 1–1.5 more days, we would have faced a lot of difficulties. However, the water has now started receding... But going forward, I will have to hold meetings with the officers myself to understand what we did after 2014. If this is the situation after two days of rain, then God forbid if it had rained for four days, our situation would have been like it was in 2014... We will have to take stock of our shortcomings because we cannot continue to live in fear."
The government has also announced a probe into recent landslide deaths near the Katra shrine to review rescue measures and recommend steps to prevent such tragedies in the future.
