Flashfloods
Army rescues 7 stranded persons
Jammu: The bodies of an eight-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man, who were swept away in flash floods on Monday, were recovered in Jammu and Kashmir’s twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch, officials said.
Massive operations were launched by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and locals to trace the minor girl and the man who were washed away in the rising waters of Suran River and Mubarakhpura Nallah in Poonch and Rajouri districts, they said.
The body of 20-year-old Atif Shah was recovered on Tuesday from Munawar Tawi at Kalhar-Dalogra, around 15 km downstream from the incident site, officials said.
The body is being handed over to the family.
“A massive search operation by the SDRF, local administration, and police took place to find Shah, who was swept away while crossing a seasonal rivulet yesterday,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police (SDRF) Zabeen Akther, who supervised the rescue efforts on-site.
“The body of Asia Kouser, who was swept away by strong currents near Umrah Ban Dhok yesterday, was recovered from the Suran river in the Shindra area of the district,” an official said.
Rains lashed several areas of the Jammu region intermittently but there were no fresh reports of damage to any structures, officials said.
Rescue efforts were underway in Bhainch in Poonch district, where 20 people are trapped due to flash floods, they said, adding that rain is continuing in the area.
A landslide in Niaka Panjgrian village of Rajouri has caused the closure of two roads, they said, adding that efforts are on to remove blockades.
Heavy rain on Monday triggered flash floods and landslides at several places, causing damage to multiple structures and roads in the Jammu region.
Three houses were washed away near the Betaar riverbanks. Flash floods also occurred in several parts of Poonch, damaging some houses and a school in Khanetar.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which was shut for vehicular traffic early Monday after heavy rains triggered multiple landslides and shooting stones from hillocks overlooking the arterial road in Ramban district, was restored, officials said.
Traffic is plying normally on the inter-regional Mughal road after a brief closure due to a landslide, they added.
Meanwhile, seven persons, including women and children, who were trapped on a patch of land following flash floods, were rescued by the Indian Army in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Tuesday, officials said.
