One dead, 59 rescued in flash flood hit Kathua

Jammu: As many as 59 people were rescued by the joint team of State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local police from flash flood hit water bodies triggered due to incessant rains on Sunday in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir.
However, one person was also found dead in the district.
Police said that as soon as information was received about the trapped persons, SDRF and a police team led by Senior Superintendent of Police, Kathua Shivdeep Singh Jamwal launched the rescue operations.
The rescue operations were launched in Ujj, Ravi, Bhini and Tarnah water bodies across Kathua district wherein 59 people were trapped.
They said that five people were rescued at Jasrota near Ujj Barrage, six rescued from Haria Chak, 13 from Saidpur, 35 from Dabbowal while an elderly man was also found dead in Dinga Amb area as he was swept away in the flood in Tarnah Nala.
The official said that the flow in the Ujj river was recorded at a maximum 2.7 lakh cusecs. He said that as the rains have stopped, the water level has almost started receding at most of the places and weather is likely to improve from Monday afternoon.
Meanwhile Jammu and Kashmir Police in a handout issued on Sunday evening said that incessant rains, over the last few days, in various parts of Jammu and Kashmir, have caused unprecedented damage to National Highway-44 (Jammu-Srinagar), especially to the stretch falling in Ramban district, forcing its closure for traffic.
“In view of that, traffic shall remain suspended on the highway on Monday and the general public is advised to avoid journey on NH-44, till the time confirmation is issued by the administration,” read the handout.
“The administration is making its best possible efforts to ensure the restoration of traffic at the earliest,” it said.
UNI