SRINAGAR: At least four people, including three women, lost their lives while several others went missing after torrential rainfall triggered flash floods and landslides across Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district early Sunday, prompting a massive rescue and relief operation by the administration.
Officials said the worst-hit areas were in Surankote tehsil, where heavy rainfall caused widespread damage to houses, roads and other infrastructure. Teams of the district administration, Police, SDRF and other emergency agencies have been pressed into service to rescue stranded residents and provide relief to affected families.
One of the victims, 28-year-old Nazia Kousar, died after her house collapsed in Noonabandi village. Her husband, Mohammad Hafiz, and their three children, aged between two and six years, were rescued from the debris with injuries and shifted to a nearby hospital for treatment.
In another incident at Lower Murrah, a landslide buried a residential house, leaving its owner Mohammad Latief and five members of his family missing. Rescue teams were carrying out intensive search operations to trace the missing persons when reports last came in.
A minor girl, identified as Iram, drowned after being swept away in a stream at Marhote, while the body of an unidentified woman was recovered from a stream near Dhundak Lathoong bridge, taking the death toll to four.
Officials said intermittent heavy rainfall continued across parts of the district, hampering rescue efforts and increasing the risk of further landslides and flash floods.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed profound grief over the loss of lives and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families. He also prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured.
The Chief Minister said the district administration, SDRF, Police and other agencies were fully engaged in rescue and relief operations and directed officials to ensure immediate assistance and rehabilitation for the affected families.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said he had reviewed the situation in both Rajouri and Poonch with senior officials following the incessant rain and flash floods.
In a post on X, the Lieutenant Governor said rescue teams comprising the civil administration, Police, Army, SDRF and local volunteers were actively working on the ground, while affected families had been shifted to safer locations. He said all departments had been placed on high alert and directed officials to ensure immediate relief, restoration of damaged infrastructure and financial assistance to affected families in Rajouri and Poonch.
He also expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in Haveli and Surankote areas of Poonch and assured that emergency teams would remain on standby to deal with any further eventuality.
