Two labourers were killed and five seriously injured on Wednesday morning when a landslide hit the tent in which they were sleeping near a Shiva temple at Badora in the Mahore sub-division of the Reasi district, police said.
Continuous rainfall has resulted in flood-like situation at many places in J&K where landslides have triggered at many places.
The tragic incident took place when the three men, including a JCB machine operator at a construction site related to the Shiva Cave pilgrimage, were sleeping in a tent. At around 2 am, a sudden landslide hit the area leaving the tent buried in the ground.
The injured labourer was immediately rushed to the hospital at Mahore where he is undergoing treatment.
Civilians and police launched a rescue operation operation and recovered the bodies of both labourers from debris, police said.
The deceased have been identified as 26-year-old Rashpal Singh, a resident of Tuli Kalavan in Reasi, and 23-year-old Ravi Kumar, a resident of Mantalai in Udhampur.
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh immediately responded to the tragedy and directed the district authorities to provide medical aid and relief to the victims.
He wrote on X; “Just now spoke to DC Udhampur, Ms. Saloni Rai after receiving information about a landslide in district Reasi, resulting in two casualties, one of whom belonged to Mantalai area in district Udhampur. Five others have been injured. The administration is promptly undertaking relief and rescue measures. I am in constant touch”, he added.
In another incident, the Indian Army, SDRF, Police, and local divers conducted a coordinated rescue operation to save a minor boy trapped amidst rising waters of a flooded river in Rajouri. Timely action and seamless coordination ensured safe evacuation, said the White Knight Corps of the Indian Army.
An Army helicopter was also used to rescue the minor boy from being washed away.
The vital Jammu-Srinagar highway was shut for vehicular traffic due to flash floods and mudslides at various places, including the Tunnel (T2) near Magarkote.
The Kishtwar-Sinthan-Anantnag road was also closed due to flash floods at the Sinthan nullah. The traffic police has advised people not to travel on these roads until the blockades are removed.
Earlier on 21 July, a five-year-old student was killed and five others, including a teacher were injured, when a boulder crashed into a school building in the Poonch district. A Vaishnodevi pilgrim was killed and nine others injured when a landslide hit the trek route of the shrine near Katra.
All three occupants of a JCB were killed when the machine last night slipped in the Dachhan area of Kishtwar.