One killed, 3 injured in landslide; NH closed

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24: Continuous rain in the region since yesterday has hit normal life, with sudden fall in temperature while a 12th class student was killed and three others  injured as a  vehicle was hit by landslide in Mahore area of Reasi, four houses collapsed in Poonch while Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and Batote -Kishtwar road was closed due to slides this evening.
Reports said that mercury has shown sharp decline in temperature since last evening due to rain. The winter capital city recorded day’s temperature of 17.1 degree which is  nearly 11.4 degree  below normal. Due to rain several link roads have been closed and chopper service to Mata Vashnodevi was also affected.
Reports from Reasi said that a Winger No. JK02M/7237, carrying passengers was hit by land slides at Dhamman Nallah in Mahore area. The vehicle was on way to Dharmari from Masnot. 18-year-old Razia Akhtar, daughter of Ghulam Mohiuddin of Masnot was killed on the spot and three others seriously injured  when boulders from the mountain hit the vehicle.
It was raining heavily in the area when the mishap took place. The locals and police party rushed to the spot and injured  were shifted to Dharmari hospital. The seriously injured are identified as  Janu Bagum, wife of  Mohd Shafi, Jamila Bano, wife of Bashir Din of Jamslan and Pooja Devi-student, daughter of Dewan Chand of Masnot. They have been referred to GMC Jammu. DC Reasi provided relief of Rs 1.50 lakh in case of death and also relief of Rs 5000 each for the injured in the accident.
Reports from Poonch said that four houses were damaged in the rain in last two days. The Deputy Commissioner Sajjad Ahmed Khan who visited Mandi and Loran area today was apprised by the village Panchayat members about the damaged houses and demanded compensation for the poor families.
A Traffic Police official said that Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed at around 2.30 pm today    due to land slides at Panthial in Ramban. The traffic was however, restored after one and half hour. The highway was again closed due to fresh landslides at Sherbibi at around 6 pm and the highway was again closed. The rain affected the road clearance work. He said that traffic on Batote-Doda-Kishtwar  road was also stopped after land slides in Assar and Raggi Nalla area this evening.
Chief Scientist, SKUAST Jammu,  Dr  B C Sharma told the Excelsior that Jammu today broken the record of last 20 years, as it recorded 17.1 degree Celsius temperature  during day in Jammu which is 11.4 degree C below normal. He said this temperature was earlier recorded  in 1994. The normal temperature is 28.5 degree C. The minimum temperature remained 15 degree C in Jammu while the normal temperature is 13.4 degree C. He disclosed that 9.2 mm rain was recorded since last evening in Jammu and the rainfall in Jammu has crossed 80 mm mark which is too high for the month of March. The average rainfall during March is 52mm.
Dr Sharma  said advisory has already been issued to the farmers and they have been  asked to drain out rain water from their wheat and mustard fields. The water logging may damage their crop.
Reports from Kathua, Udhampur, Ramban and Rajouri said that several link roads have been closed  and some houses damaged but due to snapping of communication, the reports are still awaited.

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