Jammu and Kashmir Floods: 11 Dead, Rescue Operations Underway After Cloudbursts

At least 11 people have died and several others are missing after flash floods and landslides triggered by torrential rain hit the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, officials said.

The worst damage occurred in Surankote tehsil in Poonch district, where multiple cloudbursts and landslides swept through villages, damaging homes and cutting off roads. Rescue teams from the army, police, National Disaster Response Force, and State Disaster Response Force have been deployed to search for the missing and evacuate affected families.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah regarding the situation and assured all possible assistance from the central government, according to a post on X from Shah's office.

Chief Minister Abdullah said the administration's immediate priority is to save lives. “Since first light this morning, I've been closely monitoring the situation arising from the extremely heavy rain... the first priority of the administration is to safeguard precious lives,” he wrote on X. He added that the government will do everything possible to aid and assist affected people who have suffered property loss or damage.

In Rajouri, rescue teams pulled two stranded individuals to safety from the Muradpur area after flash floods caused water levels to rise rapidly, Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Sharma told the Press Trust of India.

Authorities have urged residents to stay away from rivers and flood-prone areas as water levels remain dangerously high. Continuous rain since Saturday has triggered multiple cloudbursts and flash floods, washing away structures along the Poonch River and damaging key infrastructure. Rescue and relief operations continue in the worst-hit areas.