At least 11 people were killed in separate incidents of cloudburst and landslides triggered by heavy rains in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, officials confirmed.
In Reasi, tragedy struck early morning when a landslide hit Badder village in Mahore, destroying a house and burying seven members of a family. The victims included the house owner Nazir Ahmad, his wife, and their five minor sons.
In Ramban, four people lost their lives and one went missing after a cloudburst swept through Rajgarh area, damaging several houses. A search operation was launched to trace the missing person.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the deaths, calling them “tragic losses.” “The Chief Minister has expressed deep anguish over the loss of lives due to the landslide in Rajgarh, Ramban. He has directed the administration to carry out immediate rescue and relief operations,” the CMO said in a statement.
The cloudburst comes amid relentless rains that have already claimed at least 36 lives across the Union Territory over the past few days. Flooding, mudslides, and damage to infrastructure have severely disrupted normal life.
Road connectivity remains paralysed. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44), a crucial lifeline, was closed after landslides, though Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar Sharma said efforts were on to reopen it by Saturday evening or Sunday morning.
The Meteorological Department has issued an orange alert for Ramban, Jammu, Poonch, Kishtwar, and Udhampur districts, warning of more heavy rain. Authorities have ordered schools across the Jammu division to remain shut till August 30, with directions to explore online classes for students of Classes 9–12.
