Woman dies in house collapse as heavy rain lashes large parts of Jammu

Jammu, Aug 7 (PTI) A 60-year-old woman died in a house collapse and several structures were washed away as heavy rain lashed large parts of the Jammu region, throwing life out of gear on Wednesday, officials said.

Kako Devi was buried alive along with her two cows when her mud-house collapsed due to heavy rain in the Gundha village of Khawas in Rajouri district in the early hours, they said.

Devi’s body was recovered from under the debris by rescuers, they added.

At least eight residential structures were washed away at Doonga village in Kathua district following a cloudburst, the officials said, adding there was no report of any casualty.

Heavy rain lashed Jammu for more than three hours from 9:30 am and caused waterlogging in low lying areas, disrupting daily life with main city roads witnessing very slow traffic movement.

People faced hardships while commuting through the flooded roads at various places, including Dogra Chowk, Canal Road, Bikram Chowk, Gandhi Nagar, Shastri Nagar, Gorkha Colony and Sanjay Nagar, while many residents and shopkeepers saw their premises inundated.

The downpour also led to an increase in the water level in the Tawi and other water bodies but there was no immediate threat of floods, the officials said.

According to the local Met office, Rajouri district recorded the highest rainfall at 74 mm during 24 hours ended at 11 am, followed by Jammu at 48.5 mm and Ramban 17.5 mm.

The Met office has forecast wet weather across Jammu division till August 15 with intense showers for a brief period and possibility of flash floods and landslides in vulnerable places across Jammu and Kashmir and heavy rainfall at isolated places in Jammu division.