JAMMU: At least 11 people, including seven members of a single family, were killed in separate cloudburst and landslide incidents in remote villages of Reasi and Ramban districts, as Jammu and Kashmir struggles to recover from a spate of natural calamities over the past fortnight.
Since August 14, the Union Territory has been hit by multiple cloudbursts and landslides, leaving 130 dead and 140 injured in Jammu, while 32 pilgrims remain missing. The pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district was suspended for the fifth consecutive day on Saturday after a landslide killed 34 pilgrims earlier this week along the 12-km trek from Katra.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urged authorities to maintain round-the-clock monitoring and ensure timely evacuation from high-risk areas. Recent record rainfall across Jammu has caused widespread destruction, damaging hundreds of properties, washing away roads and bridges, and disrupting both road and rail traffic.
Early Saturday, a landslide in the remote Badder village of Reasi flattened a house, killing seven family members: Nazir Ahmad (38), his wife Wazira Begum (35), and their sons Bilal (13), Mustafa (11), Adil (8), Mubarak (6), and Wasim (5). The family was asleep when debris from the hill slope buried their home. Locals, joined later by police, recovered the bodies.
In Ramban district, four people—including two brothers—died after a cloudburst hit a remote village around 11:30 pm on Friday, damaging two homes and a school in Rajgarh, about 25 km from the district headquarters. The deceased were identified as Ashwani Sharma (24), his brother Dwarka Nath (55), niece Virta Devi (26), and guest Om Raj (38). Rescuers continue searching for Sharma’s sister-in-law, Bidya Devi (55).
“The cloudburst created a fast-flowing stream that washed away houses, a cowshed, and the school,” said local resident Ajay Kumar, who praised the district administration and volunteers for their swift response. Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Alyas Khan confirmed that authorities are on high alert and providing all possible assistance to affected families.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the incidents and assured support to victims. Abdullah urged people to stay alert, avoid vulnerable areas, and follow safety advisories, while instructing departments to remain vigilant and coordinated. Sinha, in a social media post, expressed anguish over the devastation and extended condolences to the bereaved families.
Former Chief Minister and DPAP Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad also condemned the incidents, stressing the need for immediate relief to affected families.
According to the meteorological department, Bhaderwah in Doda recorded the highest rainfall of 51.6 mm until 8:30 am, followed by Katra (42 mm), Kathua (32 mm), and Batote-Ramban (16.8 mm). The department forecasts moderate to heavy rain with occasional intense showers across Jammu, Kathua, Rajouri, Reasi, Doda, Samba, and Udhampur until 9 pm on Saturday, warning of possible flash floods and landslides in vulnerable areas.
