Devastating Cloudbursts Hit Doda and Kishtwar Districts in Jammu and Kashmir; Several Houses Washed Away, At Least Four Die
Cloudbursts have been reported in several locations within the Doda and Kishtwar districts of Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in significant destruction. Between 10 to 15 houses have been washed away, and four fatalities have been confirmed in Doda over the past 24 hours. The flash floods, triggered by the cloudbursts, have also swept away several bridges in the areas of Bhalesha, Thathri, and Marmat.
An official reported that two people lost their lives due to house collapses, while the other two persons died in the flash floods caused by relentless rainfall. Residential areas and various properties have sustained extensive damage from the flooding.
The Batote-Kishtwar National Highway (NH-244) has been closed, halting vehicular movement in the region. Relief and rescue operations are currently underway, with the district administration and disaster response teams remaining on high alert as continuous rainfall persists in both districts.
Almost all the rivers and streams are flowing above or close to the danger mark, submerging a number of low-lying areas and roads in the city and elsewhere, they said.
Traffic on Jammu-Srinagar NH suspended
Reports said the traffic on the 250-km Jammu-Srinagar national highway was suspended as a precautionary measure following shooting of stones from the hillocks at Chanderkote, Kela Morh and Battery Cheshma in Ramban district.
The vehicular movement on the highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with rest of the country, was suspended at Udhampur in Jammu and Qazigund in Kashmir.
Advisories issued
Authorities have already issued advisories, asking people to stay away from water bodies and landslide-prone areas amid the weather forecast predicting moderate to heavy rainfall at many places in Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Reasi, Udhampur, Rajouri, Ramban, Doda and Kishtwar districts with possibility of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides in high altitude areas till August 27.