Boulder crushes 7 at J&K waterfall
JAMMU: Seven people were crushed to death and 34 others injured when a huge boulder and debris fell from a hill at Siar Baba waterfall in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Sunday afternoon. The district’s senior superintendent of police (SSP) Tahir Sajjad Bhat said around 3.30pm on Sunday, a huge rock from near the mouth of a waterfall in Siar Baba, probably loosened by monsoon rains, fell on tourists standing beneath the waterfall.”
Reasi deputy commissioner Prasanna Ramaswamy said seven tourists died and 34 others were injured as boulder and debris fell on them from a height of over 100 feet. He said army and police were immediately pressed into service for rescue operation.
The injured were shifted to district hospital in Reasi and later all of them were shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital near Katra. DC said, “All the 34 injured have been shifted to SMVD Narayana Superspeciality Hospital for specialised treatment.”
FIVE TOURISTS DIED ON THE SPOT WHILE TWO SUCCUMBED TO THE INJURES AFTER THEY WERE SHIFTED TO HOSPITAL. AS MANY AS 34 PEOPLE WERE HURT
Seven people were crushed to death and 34 others injured when a huge boulder and debris fell from a hill at Siar Baba waterfall in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district on Sunday afternoon.
The district’s senior superintendent of police (SSP) Tahir Sajjad Bhat said around 3.30pm on Sunday, a huge rock from near the mouth of a waterfall in Siar Baba, probably loosened by monsoon rains, fell on tourists standing beneath the waterfall.”
Reasi deputy commissioner Prasanna Ramaswamy said seven tourists died and 34 others were injured as boulder and debris fell on them from a height of over 100 feet.
He said army and police were immediately pressed into service for rescue operation.
The injured were shifted to district hospital in Reasi and later all of them were shifted to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Narayana Superspeciality Hospital near Katra.
DC said, “All the 34 injured have been shifted to SMVD Narayana Superspeciality Hospital for specialised treatment.”
Five tourists died on the spot while two succumbed to injures after they were shifted to Narayana Superspeciality Hospital.
Three of the deceased were identified as Kamal Kishore Sharma, 40, resident of TalabTillo, Jammu; Sahin Kumar, 29, resident of Janipur, Jammu; Lucky, 27, resident of Gangyal, Jammu. While the identities of other deceased are yet to be ascertained.
The famous Siar Baba is a religious place devoted to a local deity. Located 10 km from Reasi, the waterfall on the Chenab river at an elevation of 466 metres, is one of the biggest in north India and a major tourist attraction. During last year’s monsoon, a hill adjacent to waterfall had come crashing down.
Meanwhile, former CM Omar Abdullah expressed deep grief and shock over the death of several persons in a tragic landslide incident at Siar Baba.
“My heart goes out to all those who lost their dear ones in the tragic incident,” Omar said and conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families.