Jammu, August 30: At least 11 people, including seven members of one family, were killed in separate incidents of cloudburst and landslide triggered by heavy rains in remote villages of Reasi and Ramban districts, officials said Saturday.
The latest tragedies add to the series of natural calamities battering Jammu and Kashmir over the past two weeks. Since August 14, the Union Territory has witnessed multiple cloudbursts and landslides, leaving 130 people dead, 140 injured, and 32 pilgrims still missing.
The ongoing devastation has also forced the suspension of the Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage for the fifth consecutive day. On Tuesday, a massive landslide struck midway along the 12-km trek from Katra to the shrine atop Trikuta hills, killing at least 34 pilgrims and injuring many others.
Rescue teams, including personnel from the Army, NDRF, and police, remain on high alert as heavy rains continue to pose risks of fresh landslides in the region. Authorities have urged residents in vulnerable areas to move to safer locations.
Officials say the scale of damage highlights the urgent need for stronger disaster preparedness and climate-resilient infrastructure in Jammu and Kashmir, a region prone to extreme weather events.