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Landslides Devastate J&K: 8 Dead, 6 Missing
20 Jul
Summary
- Eight people died and six are missing due to landslides and floods.
- Torrential rains caused flash floods, inundating low-lying areas.
- Amarnath Yatra and other pilgrimages were temporarily suspended.
Devastating landslides and flash floods, caused by torrential rains, have claimed at least eight lives and left six people missing in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, Jammu and Kashmir. The worst impact was felt in Surankote tehsil, Poonch, where multiple fatalities occurred. Rescue teams are actively searching for the missing individuals amid challenging conditions of continuous rain and damaged roads.
Authorities have initiated multi-agency rescue operations. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah are closely monitoring the situation, with the Chief Minister cutting short his Delhi visit to return to Jammu. Union Home Minister Amit Shah also spoke with local leadership to assess the flood situation. The rains have caused significant damage, with houses collapsing and vehicles swept away.
In response to the severe weather and a forecast of continued rainfall, authorities have temporarily suspended the Amarnath Yatra from both Pahalgam and Baltal routes. Pilgrimages to the Mata Vaishno Devi and Shiv Khori shrines have also been halted. The India Meteorological Department has predicted widespread rainfall across the Union Territory until July 23, prompting these precautionary measures.
