A sudden cloudburst hit the hilly areas of Kathua district early Sunday, leaving at least seven people dead, including five children aged between 2 and 15. Rescue teams are racing against time to dig victims out of mud and debris in affected villages.
Videos from the affected sites show security and rescue personnel working tirelessly to free people buried under slush that entered homes. The disaster struck Juthana Jodh and Ghati areas in the early hours.
A family was reportedly buried in a landslide in the Juthana Jodh area around 3.30 am, confirmed station house officer (SHO) Ajay Singh of the Rajbagh police station. Other affected villages include Jodh Ghati, Chandarh, Bhed Balore, Bagrah, Dilwan, and Hatlim.
VIDEO | Kathua: Relief and rescue operations are underway after seven people lost their lives in rain-triggered landslides in Kathua district. DC Kathua Rajesh Sharma said, “Heavy rainfall has caused significant damage in Kathua, and unfortunately, we have also lost lives. Five… pic.twitter.com/5VHDfzqSkZ
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 17, 2025
The overnight downpour inundated low-lying areas like Ghati and Janglote. It also damaged the railway track and the national highway, disrupting transport. Visuals of submerged industrial areas, a Kendriya Vidyalaya school, Janglote police station, railway track, and highways circulated widely on social media.
Authorities Respond Swiftly
“We have mobilised rescue teams. I can’t say for sure if it was a cloudburst, but heavy rains lashed the region that inundating low-lying areas. We have deployed police, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), and State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) teams. We have informed the army and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF),” said Kathua Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Shobhit Saxena.
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Union minister Dr Jitendra Singh, Lok Sabha MP from the area, tweeted, “The civilian administration, military, and paramilitary have swung into action. The situation is continuously monitored. My sincere condolences to the families of the deceased.”
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha expressed grief over the disaster. They have directed the administration to carry out immediate relief and support for affected families.
Victims and Relief Efforts
Six of the injured were airlifted to Pathankot in neighboring Punjab for advanced medical care. Local authorities continue to monitor the situation closely.
Days before this horrific incident, more than 60 people were killed in a similar cloudburst at Kishtwar, in Northwestern Jammu & Kashmir. Hilly areas are particularly vulnerable during the monsoon season, as seen by the frequent disasters in southern and northwestern J&K.
Residents in low-lying areas have been advised by authorities to remain vigilant. Teams from the NDRF, SDRF, army, police, and CRPF are still on the ground to oversee relief efforts. Temporary shelters are being set up for people who have been displaced, and villagers are assisting with the rescue operation.
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