Another cloudburst hits J&K: Heavy rain lashes Kathua village; 4 killed, six injured

NEW DELHI: Four people lost their lives and six others sustained injuries after a cloudburst hit a remote village in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir, officials said on Sunday.The incident occurred in Jod Ghati village of Rajbagh during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday when a cloudburst snapped access to the village, PTI reported. A joint team of police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) reached the site to carry out rescue operations.“So far, bodies of four persons have been recovered, while six others were rescued in an injured condition and are being shifted to the hospital,” officials said.Union minister Jitendra Singh wrote in a post on X, “Spoken to SSP Kathua Sh Shobhit Saxena after receiving information about a cloud burst in the Janglote area. 4 casualties reported. In addition, damage has occurred to Railway track, National Highway while Police Station Kathua has been affected. The civilian Administration, Military and Paramilitary have swung into action. The situation is being continuously monitored.

My sincere condolences to the families of the deceased”.

The heavy rains triggered a sharp rise in water levels across several water bodies, with the Ujh river flowing close to the danger mark. Officials said landslides also hit Bagard and Changda villages under Kathua police station limits, and Dilwan-Hutli in the Lakhanpur area, though no major damage was reported.People have been requested to stay away from water bodies for their safety, the officials added.The tragedy comes days after a devastating cloudburst in Chisoti village of Kishtwar district on August 14, which killed at least 60 people and left more than 100 injured. Rescue and relief operations there continue with the army, police, NDRF, SDRF, BRO, civil administration, and local volunteers working in high-altitude terrain.