Floods – Jammu Rain Disaster Death Toll Climbs as Rescue Operations Face Setbacks
Floods – Heavy rainfall continued to batter several parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, leading to fresh casualties and disrupting relief operations in flood-affected districts. With four additional deaths reported during the day, the number of people killed in rain-related incidents over the past two days has risen to 16. Rescue teams are still searching for at least seven missing persons as persistent downpours and difficult terrain slow ongoing operations.
Fresh Fatalities Reported in Doda District
One of the major incidents occurred in Doda district when a large boulder rolled down a hillside near Raggi Nallah on the Jammu-Kishtwar National Highway during intense rainfall. The rock struck a passenger bus at around 9:30 am, causing serious injuries to several passengers.
Emergency teams rushed to the scene and shifted seven injured people to a nearby hospital. Doctors declared one of the injured, identified as Manish Kumar, dead on arrival. Officials also recovered the body of an unidentified individual from the damaged bus, and efforts are underway to confirm the person’s identity.
The landslide also blocked the highway after rocks hit a few private vehicles. Although those vehicles sustained damage, their occupants escaped without injuries.
Woman Dies After Falling Stone Hits Her Home
In a separate tragedy in Doda’s Kastigarh area, a woman identified as Shiv Devi lost her life after being struck by a falling stone near her residence. Authorities said the incident occurred amid continuous rainfall, which has significantly increased the risk of landslides across the region.
Meanwhile, officials in Rajouri recovered the body of Vikas Ahmed, who had been swept away by flash floods. His body was found in the Salani area of Rajouri town during search operations conducted on Monday morning.
Rescue Teams Continue Search Despite Harsh Conditions
Rescue efforts remained active across Poonch and Rajouri districts, although heavy rain created major challenges for emergency responders. The latest spell of rainfall began around 3 am and continued through the day, reducing visibility and making access to affected locations increasingly difficult.
Flooded streams, unstable slopes and muddy roads have slowed search operations for the missing. Even under these difficult conditions, personnel from the police, Army, State Disaster Response Force, Civil Defence and local volunteer groups continued rescue and relief work.
Officials said the death toll from Sunday’s flash floods and landslides included 10 people in Poonch and two in Rajouri. Several others remain unaccounted for, including a Jal Shakti Department employee reported missing in Rajouri.
Authorities Issue Fresh Weather Warnings
The continuing rainfall has heightened concerns about additional landslides and sudden flooding in vulnerable areas. Local administrations are closely monitoring the situation and have urged residents living near rivers, streams and seasonal water channels to remain cautious.
The India Meteorological Department has predicted moderate to heavy rainfall across Jammu and Kashmir until July 23. In response, district authorities have issued public advisories asking people to avoid unnecessary travel, especially near water bodies and landslide-prone locations.
Although several districts, including Jammu, recorded moderate to heavy rainfall on Monday, officials said there were no immediate reports of fresh damage or casualties outside the worst-affected areas.
Government Strengthens Monitoring Across Region
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has instructed all district administrations to submit situation reports every six hours until July 24 to ensure close monitoring of weather developments and improve coordination between departments. The review is aimed at strengthening preparedness and ensuring a quicker response to any new emergencies arising from the ongoing spell of severe weather.
Authorities said disaster management teams remain on alert as rainfall is expected to continue over the coming days, with rescue operations proceeding wherever weather conditions allow.