Kishtwar, July 28, KNT: At least 7 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.

While talking to news agency Kashmir News Trust, Kishtwar District Magistrate Ashok Kumar Sharma said that so for they have recovered 7 bodies while a rescue operation is underway to locate the missing persons. He said besides human lives, live-stock have also been 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 hydro power project.

Reports said that flashfloods triggered by cloudburst caused damaged 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. (KNT)