Cloudbursts wreak havoc, two dead in Kashmir

250 STRUCTURES WERE DAMAGED AND STANDING MAIZE CROP OVER 150 KANAL OF LAND WAS DAMAGED

SRINAGAR: Multiple cloudbursts wreaked havoc in mountainous region of north, central and south Kashmir and left two persons, including one girl, dead and two others missing on Thursday late evening.

Preliminary reports suggest a major cloudburst struck in the Sonamarg area of Kangan district, also one of the routes to the Amarnath Yatra, on Thursday evening, affecting pilgrimage on Friday.

“Two persons died and four injured besides more than 250 structures badly affected,” said rural development and panchayati raj minister Abdul Haq, adding “two more persons including a woman and her son are missing and rescue and search operation to locate the missing ones is in progress.”

Among the dead is a 15-yearold girl. The villages affected by cloudburst of Kulan area included Baba Mohalla, Hajam Mohalla, Shah Mohalla and Sheikh Mohalla.

The minister said 250 structures were damaged and standing maize crop over 150 kanal of land was damaged.

The gover nment has announced ex- gratia relief cheques worth ` 1.5 lakh to the kin of the victim. “Besides exgratia of ` 5,000 to each injured persons,” said the minister.

The army’s Srinagar-based Chinar Corps launched a swift rescue and relief effort in the Sindhu Valley in Sonmarg.

“The army mobilised rescue teams, including two columns of army engineers and border roads columns to three affected areas of Kullan, Gagangir and Sonmarg,” said Chinar Corps Commander. He said 11 quick reaction teams were working relentlessly at different places along the route and helping the locals and Amarnath yatris.

Several houses were damaged when another major cloudburst struck south of Srinagar in Anantnag’s Haapat Naar area. “There is no loss of life. Rescue teams have been sent in the area,” said Anantnag deputy commissioner Bashir Ahmad Khan. There were reports of damage to property in central Kashmir’s Budgam district too due to multiple cloudbursts.

Meanwhile, the state government has cancelled Eid holidays of employees of essential service in the wake of reports of inclement weather for next 24 hours, especially in south Kashmir’s Shopian and Kulgam districts. According to the meteorological department, there will be wet weather for next two days in the Kashmir Valley.

Five people were killed recently in a cloudburst in Pahalgam’s Aru area. Kashmir is witnessing frequent cloudbursts post September 2014 floods, which were also triggered by multiple cloudbursts.