- Poonch landslide killed seven family members, including young children.
- Heavy rains across J&K raised death toll to twenty-three.
- Rescue operations hindered by rain, damaged roads, difficult terrain.
Seven members of a family, including two children, were killed after a rain-triggered landslide buried their mud house in the remote Loran area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district on Monday. The tragedy occurred amid relentless rainfall that has battered the Jammu region, with rescue operations facing delays due to damaged roads, difficult terrain and continuing downpours. Officials said relief teams had been rushed to the area despite challenging weather conditions.
Seven Killed In Poonch
According to officials, the landslide struck the remote hilly village of Arigam in Mandi tehsil after heavy rain caused a mud house to collapse.
The victims were identified as Tanveer Ahmed (27), Zahida Begum (38), Shamim Akhter (33), Shabnam Bano (31), Mohd Irfan (17), Manan Rafiq (6) and Aleesa (4). All belonged to the same extended family and were residents of Mohallah Arigam in Poonch district.
Villagers pulled all seven bodies from the debris before rescue teams reached the spot.
Relief and rescue personnel were dispatched immediately, but officials said access to the remote area remained difficult as heavy rain had disrupted connectivity and slowed operations.
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Rain Death Toll Climbs
The latest tragedy comes as heavy rainfall continues to wreak havoc across Jammu and Kashmir.
Officials said at least 11 people lost their lives in separate rain-related incidents across Jammu on Monday, taking the death toll over the past two days to 23. Seven people also remain missing as rescue teams continue search operations in the flood-hit districts of Poonch and Rajouri.
In another incident, two passengers were killed and six others injured after a large rock struck a bus on the Jammu-Kishtwar National Highway in Doda district. A woman also died after being hit by a falling stone near her home in the Kashtigarh area, while the body of a man who had been swept away in flash floods was recovered from Rajouri.
Heavy rainfall has caused extensive damage to public and private infrastructure across the region. Rescue operations involving the police, Army, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Civil Defence personnel and local volunteers are continuing despite swollen streams, slippery terrain and poor visibility.
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 6 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased victim. The India Meteorological Department has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall across the Union Territory until July 23, prompting authorities to remain on high alert.
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