Fresh cloudburst, landslide hit J&K, 7 killed in Kathua; army, NDRF pressed into action

Jammu: Nearly four days after the natural calamity that claimed 60 lives in Chisoti village, another cloudburst hit Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. According to a PTI report, around seven persons were killed and five others injured in two separate incidents of cloudburst and landslide in Kathua district of the state. 

The Army deployed helicopters and several columns in the cloudburst-hit Jodh Ghati village of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district, officials said. Several army columns were inducted into the operation in the affected areas to rescue stranded people and evacuate the injured to hospitals, the officials said.

An Army helicopter deployed for rescue operations in Ghatti airlifted 15 people to hospital, they added.

The Dhruv helicopters airlifted injured to a hospital in Pathankot in Punjab.Troops from Rising Star Corps are working on the ground with police, SDRF and locals to rescue families, providing food and medical care, the officials said.

The calamity struck Jodh Ghati village of Rajbagh and Janglote amid heavy overnight rains in the district. 

District Development Commissioner, Kathua, Rajesh Sharma, along with senior civil and police officers, have rushed to the scene to supervise the rescue and relief operation.  

While five persons lost their lives in Jodh Ghati, which was hit by a cloudburst, snapping access to the village and causing damage to some houses, two persons lost their lives in a landslide triggered by rains at the Janglote area, the officials said. 

They said five persons were evacuated to the hospital from Jodh Ghati, where a joint rescue operation by police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local volunteers is continuing.

According to the officials, landslides also hit Bagard and Changda villages under the jurisdiction of Kathua police station and Dilwan-Hutli in the Lakhanpur police station area, but there was no major report of damage.

Most of the water bodies are in spate as incessant rain continued in these regions. As per reports, the Ujh River is flowing near the danger mark. The district administration is closely watching the situation and has requested people to stay away from water bodies for their safety, they added.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah  ordered the administration to carry out relief, rescue and evacuation measures to ensure the safety of people. He expressed grief over the tragic loss of lives and damage caused by landslides in several parts of Kathua, including Jodh Khad and Juthana, which claimed four lives and left many injured.

He conveyed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured, and assured all necessary assistance, the office of the chief minister said on X.

It said the chief minister has directed the administration to carry out immediate relief, rescue and evacuation measures to ensure the safety and support of affected families. 

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said the civilian administration, military and paramilitary forces have swung into action to carry out rescue and relief operations in Kathua.

"Spoke to SSP Kathua Sh. Shobhit Saxena after receiving information about a cloudburst in the Janglote area," Singh wrote on X. 

The cloudburst in Kathua came three days after flash floods triggered by cloudburst struck Chisoti village in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on August 14, leaving 60 people dead and more than 100 injured. So far, 82 people 81 pilgrims and one from the CISF are reported missing after the floods hit the village in Kishtwar.