Jammu, July 28: At least seven people were killed while 14 others are missing after a cloudburst hit Dachan area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district.
Officials said the cloudburst hit Hanzor village on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday, washing away 19 residential houses, 21 cowsheds and partially damaging two houses. A bridge in Kiyar area was also damaged in the incident, they said.
SSP Kishtwar, Shafqat Hussain Bhat earlier told Greater Kashmir that they had recovered four bodies washed away in the flash floods caused by the cloudburst.
Cloudburst update in Hanzor area of Dachhan in #Kishtwar district
Seven dead, 12 injured rescued by #Police team led by SHO at Hunzar. Army column also reached on spot. Rescue team is looking for 19 other missing persons.
— IGP Jammu (@igpjmu) July 28, 2021
A statement by IGP Jammu said that the death toll in the incident has reached seven even as 17 people have been rescued in injured condition of whom five are critical. The injured have been shifted to hospital. At least 14 people, as per police, were still missing at the time this report was filed.
Police identified six of the victims as Saja Begum, wife of Ghulam Mohammad, Ghulam Nabi, son of Ghulam Rasool, Abdul Majid, son of Nazir Ahmad, Touseef Iqbal, son of Mohammad Iqbal-all locals and two nomads, Rakila Begum, wife of Zakir Ahmad and Zaytoona Begum, wife of Lal Din.
Efforts are on to retrieve the bodies of the missing locals, police added.
Yesterday, there was also a cloud burst in Padder. However, there was no loss of life or damage to the property. “The heavy rains are continuing in hilly areas,” he added.