Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 20: Eight persons including four of a family were killed and 11 others sustained injuries in the flash floods triggered by cloudbursts at two places in Doda and Kishtwar districts late last night. In this natural calamity, several houses, shops and an educational institution suffered damages while as some vehicles got washed away.
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Reports said that a cloudburst took place in the upper reaches at around 1.30 last night triggering flash floods in a nullah flowing through the Thathri town. Even Kahara area witnessed flash floods and rolling down of huge boulders from the slopes because of cloudburst. However, the flash floods wrecked havoc only in Thathri area as there is no population in the affected parts of Kahara.
While people were sleeping huge boulders and mudslides started flowing in nullah at Thathri causing extensive damages to those structures which were situated on its banks. One house got completely filled with mudslides and gushing waters thereby killing six persons including four of a family, who could not judge what was happening outside the walls of their house.
Though five more houses too came in the spate of flash floods and suffered damages but their occupants managed to save their lives by either rushing out of their houses or moving to upper portions of their houses. In the process, they received minor injuries.
On getting information about the natural calamity, local police, army and people from safer areas of Thathri rushed to the affected portion and started rescue operation. After hectic efforts, 11 persons were rescued from the damaged houses and shifted to Thathri hospital for treatment. Later, they were discharged from the hospital after treatment.
Even bodies of six deceased persons were brought out from the mud-filled house and shifted to hospital and later handed over to the family members for last rites after all legal formalities. The exact havoc caused by the natural calamity became visible with the onset of sun as several vehicles were also found trapped in the mudslides.
In the morning, people also complained about washing away of some vehicles in the Chenab river. However, the same was not officially confirmed by district administration. Due to flowing of mud slides and huge boulders Batote-Doda-Kishtwar National Highway also got blocked and it was restored by the Roads and Buildings Department at around 11.30 am today. “Had the intensity of the flash floods been severe for some more time the damages would have been extensive”, eyewitnesses said.
Another cloudburst hit Cheerji area of Kishtwar where a woman and her grandson lost their lives. Though the body of woman was recovered from the debris yet her grandson remained untraced till late this evening.
Minister of State for Revenue, Sunil Sharma along with Divisional Commissioner Jammu Dr Mandeep Bhandari and Inspector General of Police Jammu, S D Singh Jamwal visited both the cloudburst affected areas to personally take stock of the situation and ensure that all possible assistance is provided to the affected families as per the norms of Natural Calamity Relief Fund.
They announced Rs 4 lakh compensation for the family members of each of the deceased person under the norms governing natural calamity while as Rs one lakh compensation was announced from Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
“A total of six houses, three shops and an educational institution suffered damages in the flash floods as all these were situated just along the nullah in Thathri town”, Divisional Commissioner told EXCELSIOR when contacted, adding “there are also unconfirmed reports about loss of lives of cattle-heads but the district administration will have to verify the same by sending teams to affected area of Kahara”.
The persons who lost their lives at Thathri have been identified as Nara Devi, wife of Dev Raj of Nagni, Sapna Devi, daughter of Dev Raj, Rahul, son of Dev Raj and Priya Devi, daughter of Dev Raj, Surishta Devi, daughter of Ram Parshad of Balgram and Patna Devi, daughter of Hans Raj of Gandoh.
The injured have been identified as Mither Singh, son of Naresh Kumar of Balgran, Aziz Mansoor, son of Manzoor Ahmed, Fiza Anjum, daughter of Manzoor Ahmed, Muneeza Anjum, daughter of Manzoor Ahmed, Shazia Begum, wife of Manzoor Ahmed, Pushpinder, daughter of Jewan Singh of Gandoh, Muzaffar Hussain, son of Mohd Ayub, Zatuna Begum, wife of Mohd Ayub, Sumarana and Tanveera, daughters of Mohd Ayub, all the residents of Baunjwah.
Those who lost lives in Cheerji area of Kishtwar have been identified as Kungi Devi, wife of Krishan Lal and Samrat, son of Girdhari Lal.
Meanwhile, Governor N N Vohra has expressed grief over the loss of precious lives and conveyed his heartfelt sympathy to the families of those killed in the cloudbursts.
“Governor is saddened to also learn about the damage to residential and commercial properties and a school, caused by the flash floods. He has advised urgent start of the work for the restoration of the damaged properties and provision of relief”, Raj Bhawan spokesman said.
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti has also expressed deep grief and sorrow over the tragic deaths in the cloudbursts. She has directed the district administration to make arrangements of shelter, food and other facilities for the affected people.
She has asked the Minister for PHE, Irrigation & Flood Control, Sham Lal Choudhary to rush to Doda and oversee the relief and rescue operations.
Union Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh also expressed shocked over the loss of lives in the cloudburst.
“In constant touch with local administration following cloudburst in Thathri. Offered all necessary help”, Dr Jitendra Singh tweeted.
He also complimented DC Doda Bhupinder Kumar for prompt action to contain damage following the incident.
Ghulam Nabi Azad, senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha has also expressed deep sorrow and grief on the devastation caused by heavy rains and cloudbursts. “My heart goes with the members of the families who have lost their kith and kin in the devastation and sympathize with the injured people”, said Azad.
He has urged the State Government and the district administration to immediately arrange for relief and rehabilitation measures for the affected people.
National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah and Working President Omar Abdullah have also expressed grief and shock over the tragic loss of human live in cloudbursts.
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