SRINAGAR — At least seven persons died while over 30 went missing after a cloudburst hit a far-flung hamlet in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, officials said.
The incident took place on Wednesday morning at Honzar village of Dacchan tehsil in Kishtwar. The village has no road connectivity.
Kishtwar District Magistrate, Ashok Kumar Sharma said that so for they have recovered seven bodies while a rescue operation is underway to locate the missing persons. He said besides human lives, livestock has also perished and they will assess the loss once the weather improves.
He said that a team of the Air Force, Army and Police has been rushed to the area to carry out rescue operations.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh, in a tweet, informed that the Indian Air Force has been asked to assist local teams in rescue operations in Kishtwar. “Indian Air Force authorities have been contacted for lifting the injured in incidents related to the cloudburst in Kishtwar,” the DM added.
Meanwhile, cloudbursts in Kargil at two villages damaged mini hydropower project.
Reports said that flash floods triggered by cloudburst caused damage to a power project at Sangra in Sanku Division of Kargil.
The first cloudburst took place at village Khangral, about 60 kilometers from Kargil on Kargil-Leh National Highway while the second occurred at Sangra, about 40 kilometers from Kargil in Sanku division on Zanskar road.
PM Modi took to Twitter to say that the Centre is monitoring the situation in Kishtwar. “Central Government is closely monitoring the situation in the wake of the cloudbursts in Kishtwar and Kargil. All possible assistance is being made available in the affected areas. I pray for everyone’s safety and well-being,” the PM wrote.
Most parts of the Jammu and Kashmir have been receiving heavy rain. With the prediction of more rains till July-end, authorities have asked people living along water bodies and slide-prone areas to remain vigilant.
“The Meteorological Department has predicted heavy rains during the upcoming days and water levels in rivers and Nallas are expected to rise, which can pose a threat to the inhabitants residing near rivers, Nallas, water bodies and slide-prone areas.
Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia for kin of deceased
The Government of J&K announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for the next of kin of those who lost their lives in the tragic cloudburst in Kishtwar.
The grievously injured would be given Rs 50,000 each and Rs 12,700 under SDRF shall also be disbursed, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha announced on his official Twitter handle.
“Relief under SDRF for loss of houses, utensils, clothing, household goods, cattle, cattle shed, loss of agricultural land etc shall also be provided by the Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar,” he added.
The J&K Government will do everything possible to support and protect the affected families, he added. (KNT / GNS)
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