J&K: At least 11 dead as cloudburst, landslide strike Reasi & Ramban amid torrential rains

At least 11 people, including seven members of a single family, have died in two separate incidents of cloudburst and landslides in the remote villages of Reasi and Ramban districts, as Jammu and Kashmir continues to battle a spate of natural calamities over the past fortnight.

The Union Territory has been grappling with continuous cloudbursts and landslides since 14 August. With the latest tragedies, the death toll has reached 130, while 140 people remain injured across Jammu, and 32 pilgrims are still missing.

The annual pilgrimage to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta Hills in Reasi district has been suspended for the fifth consecutive day. Earlier this week, a landslide struck midway along the winding 12-km trek from Katra to the shrine, claiming the lives of 34 pilgrims.


Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urged authorities to maintain round-the-clock monitoring and ensure timely evacuation of people from risk-prone areas.

The most recent incidents occurred early on Saturday when a landslide flattened a house in the remote Badder village in Reasi district, killing seven members of the same family. The deceased have been identified as Nazir Ahmad (38), his wife Wazira Begum (35), and their children Bilal Ahmed (13), Mohd Mustafa (11), Mohd Adil (8), Mohd Mubarak (6), and Mohd Wasim (5). Officials said the family was asleep when the hill-slope house was engulfed by debris, burying them alive. Locals, joined later by police, conducted frantic rescue operations but could only recover the bodies.

In Ramban district, four people, including two brothers, died after a cloudburst struck a remote village, damaging two houses and a school. The flash floods swept through Rajgarh village, about 25 kilometres from the district headquarters, late on Friday night.

Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Alyas Khan, alongside Senior Superintendent of Police Arun Gupta, supervised the rescue operations. The deceased have been identified as Ashwani Sharma (24), his brother Dwarka Nath (55), niece Virta Devi (26), and guest Om Raj (38). Rescuers are continuing their search for Sharma’s sister-in-law, Bidya Devi (55).

Local resident Ajay Kumar described the devastation: “The cloudburst on the hilltop near the primary school created a fast-flowing stream that washed away two residential houses, a cowshed, and the school building.” He praised the district administration and volunteers for their swift response, led by Bashir Ahmad Magray.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the incidents and assured full assistance to the affected families. Former Chief Minister and DPAP Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad also urged immediate relief and support for those affected.

The meteorological department reported that Bhaderwah in Doda district received the heaviest rainfall at 51.6 mm until 8.30 am, followed by Katra (42 mm), Kathua (32 mm), and Batote-Ramban (16.8 mm). The department forecast moderate to heavy rain with brief intense showers across Jammu, Kathua, Rajouri, Reasi, Doda, Samba, and Udhampur until 9 pm on Saturday, warning of possible flash floods and landslides in vulnerable areas.

Authorities have appealed to residents to remain vigilant, avoid high-risk zones, and strictly follow safety advisories as relief and rescue operations continue.

Inputs from PTI