SRINAGAR/JAMMU: The death toll from flash floods and landslides triggered by torrential rain across Jammu and Kashmir’s Jammu division climbed to 28 on Monday, with fresh fatalities reported from Poonch and Doda even as rescue teams continued searching through debris amid forecasts of more heavy rainfall.
Seven people were killed after a house collapsed in Poonch district, while three others died in separate rain-related incidents in Doda. Rescue workers also recovered four bodies from debris left behind by flash floods and landslides that devastated the Pir Panjal region on Sunday.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced an ex-gratia of ₹6 lakh for the families of each victim.
Poonch has emerged as the worst-hit district, accounting for 23 deaths over the past two days, including several children. Neighbouring Rajouri reported two fatalities. Surankote in Poonch suffered the heaviest damage, where flash floods carrying water, mud and debris swept down mountain slopes on Sunday, killing 15 people. Four more bodies were recovered from the area on Monday.
The latest casualties in Poonch were reported from Mandi, where intense rainfall caused the collapse of a dhok—a traditional mountain shelter used by nomadic herders. Those killed were identified as Tanveer Ahmed, Zahida Begum, Shamim Akhter, Shabnam Bano, 17-year-old Mohammad Irfan, six-year-old Manan Rafiq and four-year-old Aleesa.
In Doda district, boulders dislodged by heavy rain crashed onto a bus travelling along the Jammu-Kishtwar National Highway near Raggi Nallah around 9.30 a.m. Seven passengers were injured and taken to hospital, where one of them, Manish Kumar, later succumbed to his injuries. Rescue teams subsequently recovered the body of an unidentified man from the mangled vehicle. In a separate incident in Kashtigarh, a woman was killed after a large boulder struck her house.
Civil administration officials, police, Army personnel, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) teams and local volunteers continued rescue and relief operations, clearing mud and debris, searching for missing persons and evacuating residents from vulnerable areas.
In flood-hit Dhara Sangla village of Surankote, Army personnel constructed a temporary bridge using a tree trunk and ropes across a swollen stream, enabling rescuers and grieving family members to carry the body of a young girl home while restoring access to the isolated village.
The Amarnath Yatra, as well as pilgrimages to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra and the Shiv Khori shrine in Reasi, remained suspended for a second consecutive day due to the adverse weather.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a red alert for the region, warning of extremely heavy rainfall over the next three days.
The relentless downpour also disrupted transport across the region. A section of the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) near Chenani in Udhampur district caved in, damaging at least eight roadside shops and further affecting connectivity.
