J-K flashfloods: Body of 8-year-old girl recovered

Jammu, Aug 19 (PTI) The body of an eight-year-old girl, who was washed away in flash floods, was recovered in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Tuesday, while a search is underway for 20-year-old youth missing in flood waters in Rajouri district, officials said.

Massive operations were launched by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police, and locals to trace the minor girl and the man washed away in flash floods in the Suran river and Mubarakhpura nallah in Poonch and Rajouri districts since Monday, they said.

"Body of Asia Kouser, who was swept away by strong currents near Umrah Ban Dhok yesterday, was recovered from the Suran river in Shindra area of the district," an official said.

The rescue operation in Dassal Karrain to trace 20-year-old youth Atif Shah, who was swept away by strong currents while crossing a river in Mubarakhpura village of Rajouri district, is facing difficulties as the river is still experiencing flash floods, they added.

Rains lashed several areas of the Jammu region intermittently but there were no fresh reports of damage to any structures, officials said.

Amid rainfall, a landslide in Niaka Panjgrian village of Rajouri has caused closure of two roads, they said, adding efforts are on to remove blockades.

Heavy rains on Monday triggered flash floods and landslides at several places, causing damage to multiple structures and roads in the Jammu region, where two persons, including a minor, were washed away in the Rajouri-Poonch belt.

Three houses were washed away near the Betaar riverbanks. Flash floods also took place in several parts of Poonch, damaging some houses and a school in Khanetar.

The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, which was shut for vehicular traffic early Monday after heavy rains triggered multiple landslides and shooting stones from hillocks overlooking the arterial road in Ramban district, was restored, officials said.

Traffic is plying normally on the inter-regional Mughal road after a brief closure due to a landslide, they added. PTI AB DV DV