A devastating cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district and a catastrophic landslide in Reasi district have claimed at least 10 lives, with several others missing, officials reported on Saturday. The disasters, triggered by relentless rainfall, have added to the region’s mounting toll from rain-related incidents, with over 46 deaths reported this month across Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, and Doda districts.
In Ramban’s Rajgarh tehsil, a cloudburst struck Drubla Natna village around 12:30 AM, unleashing flash floods that swept through homes and infrastructure, killing four people, including two women, and leaving one other missing. “Two houses and a school building were hit,” a police officer stated, noting that rescue teams, including the NDRF and SDRF, are scouring the debris for survivors. Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma reported severe damage to roads, including the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), which remains closed, though efforts aim to restore access by evening.
In Reasi’s Badder village, Mahore area, a landslide triggered by heavy rains around 3:00 AM flattened a kacha house, burying seven members of a family. The victims, identified as Nazir Ahmad (38), Wazira Begum (35), and their children Bilal (13), Mohd Mustafa (11), Mohd Adil (8), Mohd Mubarak (6), and Mohd Wasim (5), are presumed dead. Local villagers recovered all seven bodies by morning, as confirmed by Mahore MLA Mohammad Khurshid. Rescue operations continue to ensure no others are trapped.
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The India Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Poonch, Kishtwar, Jammu, Ramban, and Udhampur, forecasting heavy rainfall through September 2, raising fears of further landslides and flash floods. Union Minister Jitendra Singh, in contact with Ramban’s District Collector Mohammad Alyas Khan, assured comprehensive assistance, while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has allocated additional funds to deputy commissioners for emergency relief. The region’s fragile terrain, combined with recent heavy rainfall, has caused widespread destruction, damaging over 40 houses in Ramban alone and disrupting connectivity to dozens of villages.
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