As many as seven people have been killed and five others injured after a cloudburst and landslide struck Jodh Ghati and Junglote villages in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir early on Sunday, officials said.
The calamity hit Jodh Ghati village of Rajbagh and Janglote amid heavy overnight rain in the district.
District Development Commissioner Kathua, Rajesh Sharma, along with senior civil and police officers, rushed to the scene to supervise rescue and relief operations.
Officials said the cloudburst struck Jodh Ghati in the Rajbagh area of the district during the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, cutting off access to the village and causing infrastructural damage to several properties.
Meanwhile, a joint team of the Jammu and Kashmir Police, along with the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) was dispatched to the village to assess the damage and initiate emergency response services if required.
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Officials also reported that landslides had hit Bagard and Changda villages under the jurisdiction of Kathua police station, as well as Dilwan–Hutli in the Lakhanpur police station area, although no major damage was reported.
The heavy rain across the region has led to a sharp rise in the water level of several rivers and tributaries, with the Ujh River flowing close to the danger mark, they said.
The district administration is closely monitoring the situation and has urged people to stay away from water bodies for their safety, officials added.
Meanwhile, the Meteorological Department of Jammu and Kashmir has issued a weather alert for the next 48 hours, warning of flash floods, landslides, mudslides and shooting stones during the August 17-19 wet spell.
It also predicted moderate rain in many areas, with heavy rainfall likely in parts of Jammu Division, particularly Jammu, Reasi, Udhampur, Rajouri, Poonch, Samba and Kathua.
Showers of moderate to intense nature are also expected over Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban, while some areas of Kashmir Division may experience brief but strong spells accompanied by gusty winds.
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