LG Sinha, CM Omar Abdullah Assure Immediate Relief, Rescue on War Footing as Torrential Rains Trigger Widespread Destruction Across Border Districts
Qayoom Lone
RAJOURI July 19 (BuzzBytes): At least four people were killed and several others remained missing after incessant overnight rainfall triggered devastating flash floods, landslides and house collapses across the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch on Sunday. The deluge left a trail of destruction, damaging homes and public infrastructure, washing away roads and vehicles, and forcing authorities to launch large-scale rescue and relief operations.
The worst-hit areas include Surankote and Haveli in Poonch district, along with Rajouri town, where floodwaters inundated residential localities, submerged roads, damaged government infrastructure and disrupted normal life.
Rescue teams comprising the civil administration, police, SDRF, army and local volunteers worked round the clock to evacuate stranded residents, trace missing persons and provide immediate relief to affected families.
LG Sinha: immediate aid to every affected family, rescue teams on high alert
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reviewed the evolving situation in Rajouri and Poonch and directed Deputy Commissioners and senior officials to ensure immediate assistance to all affected families.
Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the Lieutenant Governor said he had spoken to senior officials and was closely monitoring the situation.
He said rescue teams from the civil administration, police, army, SDRF and local volunteers were actively engaged on the ground, and that affected families had already been shifted to safer locations.
The Lieutenant Governor directed all departments to remain on high alert, prioritise rescue, relief and restoration work, and ensure that emergency teams remain fully prepared for any eventuality. He also appealed to residents to remain calm and follow only official advisories and updates.
CM Omar Abdullah: saving lives is our top priority
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the administration’s foremost priority was to save lives and ensure the safety of people affected by the flash floods.
The Chief Minister said he had been monitoring the situation since early Sunday morning and was in constant touch with local legislators and district authorities.
He directed all concerned departments to carry out rescue and relief operations on a war footing and assured that the government would provide every possible assistance to families who had suffered losses due to the flash floods and heavy rainfall.
Four confirmed dead, search continues for missing persons
Officials said three bodies were recovered from Surankote following multiple incidents of flash floods and landslides that struck the area after torrential overnight rainfall.
At least five persons are still reported missing, and rescue teams continue extensive search operations amid fears that the death toll could rise.
In another tragic incident in Poonch district, a woman lost her life after her house collapsed due to heavy rainfall. Her husband and two minor children sustained injuries, with one of them reported to be in critical condition.
Homes damaged across Poonch
The relentless rains caused widespread damage to residential property across the district. Officials said at least seven houses were damaged in Haveli tehsil due to continuous rainfall, while several other structures suffered partial damage in different villages.
The district administration has begun assessing losses as reports continue to arrive from remote areas.
Rajouri town flooded, vehicles swept away
Rajouri town witnessed unprecedented flooding after the Darhali River crossed the danger mark during the early hours of Sunday.
Floodwaters entered several residential colonies and commercial areas, causing extensive damage to public and private property. The newly established bus stand at Bela was among the worst affected, with powerful floodwaters washing away several parked vehicles and damaging sections of the bus stand complex and adjoining municipal infrastructure.
Several houses and shops also suffered damage as floodwaters spread across low-lying areas of the town. As a precautionary measure, authorities evacuated dozens of families from flood-prone localities to safer places.
Road connectivity severely hit
Heavy rains also crippled road connectivity across the region. In Dingla village of Poonch district, the approach road was completely washed away, cutting off access to the area and disrupting transportation.
Several roads remained blocked due to landslides, while overflowing streams and nallahs made movement difficult in many parts of Rajouri and Poonch. Officials said restoration work would begin after a detailed assessment of the damage.
Police issue advisory
With rivers and nallahs continuing to swell, Rajouri Police issued a public advisory urging residents living near water bodies to remain vigilant and avoid venturing close to rivers and overflowing streams.
Authorities warned that water levels were still rising due to continuous rainfall and appealed to people to strictly follow official instructions.
Massive rescue and relief operations continue
Rescue and relief operations are being jointly carried out by the civil administration, Jammu and Kashmir Police, SDRF, army, disaster response teams and local volunteers across the affected districts.
Emergency shelters have been established for displaced families, while officials are supplying food, drinking water and essential relief material to affected residents.
Authorities said the full extent of the damage to life, property and public infrastructure would become clear only after floodwaters recede and rescue and recovery operations are completed. The administration has assured that all possible assistance will be provided to the affected families as efforts continue to restore normalcy in the flood-ravaged border districts. —(BuzzBytes)
