At least two persons were killed and five others went missing after a cloudburst in Thathri town of Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
The cloudburst hit Thathri town around 2.20 am, triggering a flash flood in the area. Several houses were washed away.
“Around 2.30 am, water from the cloudburst hit Thatri. A joint rescue operation involving local administration, police, SDRF and army was launched immediately,” Doda deputy commissioner Bupinder Singh told HT.
“At present, I can confirm that two women were killed while five others are still missing. The identity of both the females who are from adjoining villages is being established. Both were living in the rental accommodation. One boy has been injured and we were able to rescue seven persons”, Singh said.
“As per preliminary assessment, eight structures having houses, shops and one school has been damaged in the incident,” he added.
The Batote-Doda-Kishtwar national highway (NH-1B) was closed due to huge boulders at Thathri market triggered by the cloudburst.
Water supply pipes and power supply remained snapped in the area.
{{/usCountry}}Water supply pipes and power supply remained snapped in the area.
{{/usCountry}}A PTI report quoted Doda’s deputy superintendent of police (headquarters) Iftkhar Ahmed as saying that after the cloudburst, the water level and silt suddenly rose in a drain flowing along the Jamai Masjid locality close to the town, washing away several structures along its path leading to the main market.
Thathri tehsildar Pervaiz Ahmed said, “We have rescued five members of a family and a 12-year-old boy, who was taken to a hospital in Thathri. Three members of a family are still feared to be under the debris and we are trying to remove the debris to rescue them.”
(With inputs from agencies)