Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary on Monday visited villages in Kathua district affected by cloudbursts and landslides, assuring residents of full government support for relief and rehabilitation efforts.
The disasters, which struck in the early hours of Sunday, claimed the lives of seven people from four families—including five children—and left 15 others injured in Jodh Ghati village of Rajbagh and Bagra village of Janglote.
Accompanied by National Conference Jammu unit president Rattan Lal Gupta, the deputy chief minister surveyed the affected areas and interacted with families currently housed in relief camps. He issued directives to district officials to ensure timely assistance and reaffirmed the Omar Abdullah-led government’s commitment to proper rehabilitation and long-term support for those impacted.
Choudhary also visited the Government Medical College (GMC) in Kathua to meet the seven injured, directing hospital authorities to provide the best possible medical care. He later visited the Military Hospital in Pathankot, Punjab, where other injured individuals have been admitted.
In the meantime, Kathua district authorities have suspended the recharge of the main canal of the Ravi river following damage caused by flooding triggered by the cloudburst at Jodh Ghatti. A spokesperson explained that the heavy rainfall caused severe structural issues, rendering waterflow and recharge operations unsafe and technically unfeasible.
Technical teams have assessed the damage, confirming that substantial repair and restoration work is necessary before any recharge can resume. “The safety of nearby communities and the integrity of the infrastructure remain the administration’s top priority,” the spokesperson added, requesting patience and cooperation from the public.
