At least seven people lost their lives and several others were injured after a devastating cloudburst triggered flash floods and landslides in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday. The sudden deluge cut off villages and hampered relief efforts as heavy overnight rains lashed the region. Rescue and evacuation operations are currently underway with teams from the Army, NDRF, SDRF, police, and the district administration pressed into service.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the tragedy and directed the administration to carry out immediate relief and evacuation measures. He also announced ex-gratia assistance from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, in addition to aid under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). As part of the package, Rs 2 lakh will be given to the families of each deceased, Rs 1 lakh to those severely injured, and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries. For damaged houses, Rs 1 lakh will be provided for fully damaged structures, Rs 50,000 for severely damaged homes, and Rs 25,000 for partially damaged ones.
The victims of the tragedy include Renu Devi (39) and her nine-year-old daughter Radhika from Janglot, as well as five members of a family from Jode village — Surmu Din (30), his sons Fanu (6) and Shedu (5), Tahu (2), and Zulfan (15). Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha conveyed condolences to the bereaved families and prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured.
LG Manoj Sinha also briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who assured every possible support from the Centre. Shah said relief and rescue operations were being carried out on a war footing and that NDRF teams had been rushed to the site. Union Minister Jitendra Singh confirmed that six injured people were airlifted to hospitals in Pathankot and that helicopter services were on standby for further assistance.
Meanwhile, authorities confirmed that the cloudburst and subsequent rains damaged railway tracks, parts of the national highway, and even affected the Kathua police station. DSP Vijay Kumar Bhagat, who is supervising rescue operations, said that while bodies have been recovered from multiple locations, the pace of recoveries has slowed, though operations are continuing in close coordination with security forces.
The District Administration has issued a weather advisory, warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall in the next 48–56 hours across Kathua and several other districts, including Jammu, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Poonch, Rajouri, Udhampur, and parts of Kashmir. People have been urged to stay away from rivers, nullahs, and landslide-prone areas, and avoid unnecessary travel. Emergency helplines have been activated: DEOC Kathua (01922-238796), Police Control Room (9858034100), and ERSS (112). Officials have appealed to residents to remain vigilant and follow safety advisories as rescue and relief efforts continue in the affected areas.
