Representative photo (PTI)
New Delhi: A cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district early Monday triggered flash floods, sparking fear and panic among residents in the hilly areas. There was no loss of life or property as of yet, said officials.The incident occurred around 3.00 am in Maadi village of Poni tehsil, as per locals.”There was a huge sound like a blast, and within no time our houses were flooded,” a villager was quoted as saying by PTI.Police rushed to the site to assess the situation, officials said, confirming no loss was reported. A massive mudslide had blocked the road with debris, which was later cleared by Public Works Department teams using men and machinery.Last month, heavy rains in Badder village, Reasi district, triggered a landslide that killed seven members of a family.Heavy rains continue to batter north India, causing floods, disrupting transport, and school closures after weeks of cloudbursts. With more downpours expected, authorities have suspended Himalayan pilgrimages and warned residents to stay cautious.Torrential rains triggered mudslides and falling boulders at multiple points along the Jammu-Srinagar national highway earlier this month, halting traffic on the 250-km route connecting the Kashmir Valley to the rest of India. Since August 14, cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods in Kishtwar, Kathua, Reasi, and Ramban districts have killed over 130 people, mostly pilgrims, injured more than 120, and left 33 untraced.A massive cloudburst in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district sparked flash floods last month, disrupting daily life. Following record rainfall across the region, the death toll from related incidents rose to 41, most of them from a landslide along the Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route.
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