Subhechcha Ganguly 
Heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district triggered flash floods and landslides early Sunday, leaving at least four people dead and six injured in Ghati village and nearby areas, officials said.
Rescue operations are underway after a suspected cloudburst struck Ghati in the Rajbagh area between 3:30 and 4:00 am. A joint team of police and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) rushed to the spot to assist locals in search and rescue efforts. Officials confirmed that the bodies of four victims were recovered, while six others were pulled out alive with injuries.
A family is feared trapped under debris after a massive landslide hit Juthana Jod near Ghati around the same time. The downpour also inundated the industrial area, Kendriya Vidyalaya campus, and the police station in Janglote, causing widespread waterlogging. Railway tracks and roads in Kathua district were affected as well.
Kathua police chief Shobhit Saxena clarified that while there were flash floods, the incident was not caused by a cloudburst. “The Army has been informed and remains on standby,” he added.
The Indian Meteorological Department defines a cloudburst as rainfall exceeding 100 mm in an hour. Though technically unconfirmed, officials cited suspected cloudbursts as the cause of sudden flooding in Ghati and nearby villages.
Heavy rains also triggered landslides in Bagard, Changda, and Dilwan-Hutli villages, though no major damage was reported. Rising water levels in the Sahar Khad and Ujh rivers added to the threat in the region.
This incident comes just days after a deadly cloudburst in Kishtwar district claimed the lives of at least 60 people, most of them pilgrims on the Machail Mata Yatra route. Rescue and relief operations continue there, led by the Indian Army, supported by NDRF, SDRF, BRO, police, and local authorities.
Major General APS Bal said, “We are providing both rescue support and relief to affected residents.”
