The Jammu region of Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir remained the worst-affected by the ongoing spell of torrential rain, as at least 24 people, including a mother and her two young children, lost their lives in rain-related incidents across the territory over the past two days. According to Kashmir Media Service, 11 more people lost their lives in fresh rain-related incidents across the Jammu region on Monday, taking the death toll to 24 over the past two days.

Seven people remained missing as incessant rain, flash floods and landslides continued to batter Poonch and Rajouri districts, hampering rescue operations and leaving a trail of destruction across the region.  The deadliest incident occurred when a landslide struck a dhok (temporary shelter) of the nomadic Gujjar community in Loran-Mandi tehsil of Poonch district, burying seven members of a family under the debris.

The deceased were identified as Zahida Begum (38), her six-year-old son Manan Rafiq, four-year-old daughter Aleesa, brother-in-law Tanveer Ahmad Bhat (27), sisters-in-law Shamim Akhter (33) and Shabnam Bano (31), and 17-year-old nephew Mohammad Irfan, all residents of Arigam village in Mandi tehsil. 

In Doda district, a passenger bus travelling along the Jammu-Kishtwar Highway was struck by a massive boulder that rolled down a hillside near Raggi Nallah, killing Kulwant Singh and Manish Kumar and injuring six others. The highway remained blocked for several hours after more boulders struck private vehicles, although no further casualties were reported. In another incident in the Kastigarh area of Doda, Shiv Devi was killed after being hit by a falling stone near her house.

Officials said 10 people had died in Poonch and two in Rajouri on Sunday, while several others sustained injuries.  Seven people remain unaccounted for. Swollen rivers, overflowing streams, damaged roads and poor visibility continued to impede rescue and relief operations across the affected districts. The Meteorological Department has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall across Jammu and Kashmir till July 23, prompting authorities to maintain a high alert.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)