At least seven people residing in the Loran area of Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district had to bear the brunt of nature on Monday after a deadly landslide ravaged the village, killing all of them, officials said. According to officials, incessant monsoon showers triggered the natural calamity, unleashing widespread destruction across the region. 

As per reports, the landslide struck residential houses after a heavy rainfall that continued through the last night, burying several people beneath tonnes of mud and debris. The incident has left the local community devastated, while emergency personnel continue intensive search and rescue operations amid fears that the death roll could rise. 

Rescue teams comprising personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police and volunteers from the community were deployed with immediate effect to the landslide-ravaged area. By means of specialised equipment and manual excavation, the rescue personnel have been working tirelessly to clear debris and account for the trapped people. 

Retrieval operations continue amid rescue efforts

As per officials, all seven people who lost their lives in the tragedy were buried beneath the debris after the hillside gave way. Retrieval operations are continuing, with the bodies of three people recovered so far, while rescue personnel continue combing through the affected site in search of the remaining victims. 

The ones who were killed have been identified as Zaida Beguj (35), Aadnan Rafiq (4), Tirzaa (2), Shamim Akhter, Tanvir (22), Irfan (22) and Sabina (30). Authorities have maintained that additional casualties may emerge and have assured that search operations will continue until every missing person has been accounted for. 

Authorities warn of further rain-related hazards

The tragedy comes against the backdrop of incessant downpours which have battered several parts of Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in mudslides, waterlogging and rising water levels in water bodies across Poonch district. 

Local authorities have sounded warnings of swollen rivers and fast-flowing streams, which could culminate in flash floods and secondary landslides. Residents living in vulnerable areas have been advised to remain vigilant as unstable slopes continue to pose a dire threat. 

Officials have urged the commoners to avoid unnecessary travel, particularly through landslide-prone stretches, until weather conditions improve. 

IMD forecast raises more concerns

Adding to concerns is the forecast issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), which mentions an imminent widespread heavy to very heavy rainfall across Jammu and Kashmir over the next 48 to 72 hours. 

In response, the disaster management authorities have advised residents living near unstable hillsides, low-lying riverbanks and other disaster-prone locations to shift to safer areas if directed by the local district administration. Emergency control rooms have also been laid across the affected districts to monitor the evolving situation, coordinate rescue efforts and facilitate evacuations wherever necessary.