Massive cloudburst in Kathua claims the lives of 4 people, rescue operations underway: Here is what we know so far

Another cloudburst hits Jammu and Kashmir in a week.

Nature’s fury does not seem to end in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, as another deadly cloudburst claimed the lives of four more people in the Kathua district. This is the second incident of a cloudburst within a week in Jammu and Kashmir.

As per reports, the cloudburst happened on the intervening night of Saturday (16th August) and Sunday (17th August). It struck the Jod Ghati village of Rajbagh, which caused heavy damage to land and property and snapped the connectivity to the village.

According to officials, many houses were buried under the debris and floodwater in the village. The Jammu-Pathankot National Highway is also reported to have sustained some damage. A joint team of police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was immediately rushed to the village to undertake rescue operations. The team officials reportedly said that landslides occurred in Bagard and Changda villages in the Kathua police station area and Dilwan-Hutli in the Lakhanpur police station area. However, no major damage has been reported in the areas.

The valley has been witnessing torrential rains, which have led to an alarming increase in the water level of several water bodies, including the Ujh River, which is flowing close to the danger mark. The local administration, which is closely monitoring the situation on the ground, has urged people to stay away from water bodies.

After the incident, Union MoS, Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, Dr Jitendra Singh, expressed condolences on the casualties. He spoke to SSP Kathua Shobhit Saxena and took stock of the situation. The Minister said that the civil administration, military and paramilitary forces are carrying out the rescue operations.

Earlier this week, on 14th August, a huge cloudburst struck the Chositi area in the Kishtwar district in J&K, leaving 60 people dead and hundreds missing. Hundreds of people are still feared buried under the rubble as flash floods hit the region around the Machail Mata Yatra route and the Mata Chandi shrine.

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