At least three people have died and several others have been injured after a cloudburst hit Seri Bagna village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ramban district early Sunday morning. The disaster struck around 1:30 AM, triggering flash floods and landslides that forced thousands of residents to relocate.
Local officials said the area received torrential rain overnight, prompting the Meteorological Department to issue an emergency alert urging residents to move to safer locations.
“Due to incessant rainfall and cloudburst, the National Highway was closed at several places. Houses and hotels have been damaged. Two houses collapsed due to a landslide in Bagahana village, where 3 people have lost their lives. Around 200-250 houses have been damaged,” Deputy Commissioner Baseer-Ul-Haq Chaudhary told news agency ANI. He confirmed that rescue operations were underway, with the NDRF and local teams on the ground.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed deep grief over the loss of lives and assured that relief efforts were being monitored.”We are closely monitoring the situation, and I will be reviewing restoration and rehabilitation measures later today,” he posted on X. He also advised citizens to avoid non-essential travel.
In Dharam Kund village, flash floods completely destroyed 10 houses and damaged over 40 others. Meanwhile, in Reasi district, a woman was reportedly killed by lightning in the Arnas area, bringing the death toll from rain-related incidents over the past two days to five.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, a critical 250-kilometre lifeline connecting Kashmir to the rest of India, has been blocked at multiple locations. Authorities reported landslides, mudslides, and shooting stones in areas around Nashri and Banihal. An unnamed official told The Hindu that a stretch of the road near Panthiyal was swept away.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh also took to social media, writing:
“There was a heavy hailstorm, multiple landslides and fast winds throughout the night in the Ramban region… There have been three casualties and loss of property for a couple of families.”
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) had earlier issued a weather warning for April 18-20, citing an active western disturbance that could bring heavy rain, thunderstorms, hailstorms, and high-speed winds.
