KATHUA, Aug. 17 — Four people were killed and six others injured after a cloudburst struck a remote village in Kathua district during heavy overnight rains, officials said Sunday.
The incident occurred at Jod Ghati in Rajbagh area late Saturday night, leaving the village cut off and damaging land and property. “The cloudburst hit around midnight, and the scale of water and debris snapped access to the settlement,” an official noted.
A joint rescue team of police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was immediately dispatched to the site. Efforts are under way to restore connectivity and provide relief to the affected families, they added.
Authorities also confirmed that landslides were reported in Bagard and Changda villages under Kathua police station and at Dilwan-Hutli in Lakhanpur area. While these slides disrupted movement, no major loss was recorded.
The rains, continuing since Saturday evening, have swelled water bodies across the district. The Ujh river, one of the main tributaries, was flowing close to the danger mark by Sunday morning. “The rise in water level is a serious concern, and we are monitoring the situation round the clock,” the official mentioned.
District officials appealed to residents to avoid going near streams and rivers. “People must stay away from water bodies for their own safety,” the administration urged, noting that the situation could worsen if heavy rains persist.
