Flash floods in Jammu region claim 26 lives; search continues for 6 missing
The death toll from flash floods and landslides triggered by intense rainfall in the Jammu region has risen to 26, officials confirmed on Thursday, July 23, 2026, after the body of a 25-year-old woman was recovered in Poonch district.
The body of Khalida Kouser, wife of Yasar Iqbal, a resident of Murrah village, was found near the Fazalabad footbridge in Surankote during search operations. She had been swept away in the flash floods that struck the area on the night of July 18. Officials stated that the decomposed body was taken to the Sub-district hospital in Surankote, where it was identified by village Lambardar Zakir Hussain. After completing legal formalities, the body was handed over to her family for last rites.
With this recovery, the death toll in Poonch district has reached 17, the highest among affected areas. Across the Jammu region, 26 people have died in rain-related incidents. In the broader Jammu and Kashmir union territory, 29 fatalities have been reported, including two deaths in Bandipora and one in Budgam district in the Kashmir valley.
Among those who lost their lives in the Murrah hamlet on July 18 are: Noor Safia (59), wife of Mohd Latief; her son Sajad Ahmed (16); Haqnawaz Ahmed (11); Shahnawaz Ahmed (11); daughter Khalda Kouser (25); grandchild Sofian (2); Bano Bi (60), wife of Mohd Hussain; and Mohd Akram (7), son of Mohd Liaqat. Officials confirmed that search operations are ongoing, as six people remain missing.
