Jammu, July 19: At least 10 people, including women and children, lost their lives after flash floods and landslides triggered by torrential overnight rainfall caused widespread devastation across the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri on Sunday, officials said.
The worst-affected area was Lower Murrah in Surankote tehsil of Poonch, where flash floods and landslide debris swept through residential localities, damaging houses and trapping several families.
According to officials, nine deaths were reported from Surankote, including six members of a single family, while one person was killed in Haveli tehsil. They said rescue teams were continuing search operations amid fears that more people could be trapped beneath the debris.
Personnel from the Police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Civil Administration and local volunteers were engaged in rescue efforts despite challenging weather conditions and difficult terrain. Heavy machinery has also been deployed to remove debris and reopen blocked routes.
The incessant rainfall caused extensive damage to public infrastructure and private property across the affected districts. Several houses, roads, bridges and vehicles were damaged, while landslides blocked key roads, disrupting connectivity in many areas. In Haveli tehsil alone, at least seven houses sustained damage, with additional losses reported from Mandi and adjoining areas.
The district administration shifted affected families to safer locations and mobilised relief teams to provide immediate assistance. Authorities have advised residents living near rivers, nallahs and landslide-prone areas to remain indoors, avoid unnecessary travel and stay away from fast-flowing water bodies until weather conditions improve.
Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to review the situation in the flood-hit districts. Shah assured the Jammu and Kashmir administration of full support from the Centre for rescue, relief and rehabilitation measures, officials said.
Rescue operations continued across the affected areas as intermittent rainfall persisted, with the administration maintaining close surveillance over vulnerable locations.
The Meteorological Centre Srinagar has forecast widespread rainfall across Jammu and Kashmir over the next five days and warned of heavy to very heavy rain, accompanied by thunderstorms, lightning and gusty winds, particularly in the Jammu division. The weather office has also cautioned against the possibility of flash floods, landslides, mudslides, shooting stones and waterlogging in vulnerable areas till July 23.
