13 killed in cloudbursts, flash floods, landslide in J-K

Thirteen people were killed and 11 injured in separate incidents of cloudbursts, flash floods and a landslide in Doda, Kishtwar and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir.

Six persons were killed and 11 injured after flash floods triggered by a cloudburst wreaked havoc in Thathri town of Doda district on Thursday inundating vast areas along the Batote-Kishtwar National Highway and washing away half a dozen houses.

While 11 people have been rescued from the debris, many others are feared trapped and the toll is likely to rise, police said.

Four of a family were among those killed in the flash flood triggered by the cloudburst that damaged six houses, two shops and a school.

“Flash floods triggered by a cloudburst hit Thathri town at 2.20 am resulting in a massive increase of the water level of a nullah flowing along the Jamai Masjid locality close to the town," a police officer said.

Deputy SP (headquarters) Doda, Iftkhar Ahmed, said the water level and silt in the nullah suddenly rose after the cloudburst, washing away several structures along its path leading to the main market.

"As of now, six persons including five women have died and their bodies recovered from the debris. Eleven people have been injured and rescued," a police spokesman sai

Dev Raj of Nagni village lost his wife Naru Devi, 40, daughters, Sapna Devi, 14, and Priya Devi, 7, and 9-year-old son Rahul. Their bodies have been recovered, police said.

Apart from them other two deceased have been identified as Patna Devi, 45, and Shrishta Devi, 15, of Balgran.

The injured have been admitted to a primary health centre in Thathri, police spokesman said.

“We cannot assess the exact loss of property immediately as we are in the middle of operations to rescue those still trapped under the debris," the Deputy SP said.

“The entire district administration along with the police and the Army, have started the rescue operation on a war footing," Ahmed said.

The Batote-Doda-Kishtwar National Highway (NH1B) was closed after huge boulders fell on it at Thathri market due to the cloudburst. Water pipes and power supply remained snapped in the area.

At Cherji in Kishtwar district, 45-year-old Kungi Devi and her 4-year-old grandson Samrat were washed away in flash floods triggered by a cloud burst, police said.

The body of Devi has been recovered while that of the child is yet to be traced, they said.

In Udhampur district, bodies of three people washed away in a flash flood at Pachond in Dudu area have been recovered on Thursday.

They have been identified as Mohammad Sharif, Rekha Devi -- both residents of Pachound village and Shakina of Pattangarh, police said.

Two women were killed in a landslide at Kagot in Udhampur on Wednesday evening.

They have been identified as Vimla Devi, 40, and Pallo Devi, 38, they said.

Photographs: Umar Ganie for Rediff.com