HM Amit Shah pledges support after Kathua cloudburst, landslide deaths

STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, AUGUST 17 (STC): Union Home Minister Amit Shah expressed support for the people of Jammu and Kashmir following the incident in which seven people have died and five others were injured involving a cloudburst and a landslide in Kathua district early today.
In a post on X, he said he had spoken to the Lieutenant Governor and the Chief Minister of the region to review the situation. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) have been deployed to assist local authorities in the rescue efforts.
As already reported, heavy rain during the night led to a cloudburst in Jodh Ghati village of Rajbagh and a landslide in the Janglote area. Authorities said five people died in Jodh Ghati, where the cloudburst disrupted road access and damaged houses. The landslide in Janglote resulted in two more deaths.
A joint rescue operation is being carried out by the police, State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local residents. Five injured individuals from Jodh Ghati have been taken to a hospital.
District Development Commissioner of Kathua, Rajesh Sharma, along with senior police and civil officials, visited the affected locations to oversee the ongoing response and relief work.
Meanwhile, train services between Udhampur and Pathankot have been suspended until further notice due to the impact of the rainfall and flooding in the area.

(Straight Talk Communications)