Cloudburst in J&K’s Kathua kills 7, including 5 children

Days after the cloudburst in Kishtwar that has so far claimed 65 lives, another catastrophe hit Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday when seven people, including five children, were killed and several others injured after a cloudburst in the Kathua district led to severe flash floods amidst continuous heavy rains.

The cloudburst near Janglote around midnight also claimed lives in the nearby Jodh village.
Another devastation in J&K has occurred while the search was continuing for nearly 80 missing persons in Kishtwar.

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Those killed in Kathua have been identified as Renu Devi (39) and her 9-year-old daughter Radhika, of the Janglote area. Surmu Din (30), Fanu (6), Shedu (5), Tahu (2), and Zulfan (15), all belonging to two families in Jodh, were also killed.

Many houses were buried under the debris that flowed with the flash flood.
Columns of the Rising Star Corps of the Indian Army were immediately deployed for the rescue operations and also provided medical aid to the injured.

Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said that Army helicopters have been pressed into service for shifting the injured to the hospitals for treatment. Six injured have been airlifted for hospitalisation in Mamoon, Pathankot, which was found to be a relatively nearer destination.

Expressing grief over the incident, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced ex gratia assistance of Rs 2 lakh from the CM’s Relief Fund, in addition to SDRF support to the kin of each of the seven killed due to the cloudburst.

The CM announced a grant of Rs 1 lakh for the seriously injured and Rs 50,000 for minor injuries. He also announced assistance of Rs 1 lakh for fully damaged houses; Rs 50,000 for severely damaged houses, and Rs 25,000 for partially damaged houses.

This assistance is aimed at providing immediate relief and supporting the affected families in rebuilding their lives.

Home Minister Amit Shah said on X, “Spoke with the Lieutenant Governor and Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir regarding the cloudburst in Kathua. Relief and rescue operations are being carried out by the local administration and NDRF teams have also been rushed to the site. Assured of every support from the Modi government. We stand firmly behind our sisters and brothers of J&K”.

Train services were suspended as the rail tracks were submerged. Many trains were terminated at Jalandhar and Pathankot. Vehicular traffic on the strategic Jammu-Pathankot highway was also affected as debris blocked the road.

Floodwaters inundated the downstream industrial area, Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV), and the police station in Janglote. The cloudburst caused flash floods that swept through Janglote and surrounding areas, including Jodh, Ghatti, Chandarh, Bhed Blore, Bagrah, Dilwan, Hatli, and Lakhanpur. The Indian Army has launched rescue operations, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), CRPF and J&K Police.

Flood waters have entered residential areas in the region. The Kathua police station was also inundated.
Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh, who represents Kathua in the Lok Sabha, was in constant touch with the administration.
A Railway officer said that “due to heavy rains, water was flowing above danger level through Bridge-43 between Kathua and Budhi”.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said, “I have directed the Senior Civil & Police Officials to coordinate and execute rescue and aid efforts in the affected areas and ensure on-site medical assistance. My thoughts are with bereaved families and praying for the swift recovery of those injured”, he wrote on X.