Two people were killed and six others injured in separate incidents as incessant rains pounded several parts of Jammu region for the second day on Saturday, officials said. Over three dozen houses and other structures suffered damages due to gusty winds in the province, they said.
Suhunksha Devi, a resident of Batmas-Changa village of Bhalesa, died and her brother injured when the ceiling of their house collapsed due to a windstorm in Doda district, they said.
At least 10 other houses suffered damages in Gandoh tehsil of Doda district and 15 more houses and other structures were damaged by windstorm in Trigam, Palmar, Mughal Maidan and adjoining areas in nearby Kishtwar district, officials said.
A fuel tanker driver was killed when he lost control and crashed his vehicle into a hillside amid heavy rain in Moud Passi in Udhampur district, they said. Six people were injured when a boulder from a hillock hit a passenger bus at Manoor Gala in Rajouri district, officials said. They said the bus was on its way from Mandir Gala to Rajouri and the injured passengers were rushed to a hospital.
Officials said strong winds also damaged rooftops of three school buildings and a public health centre in Trigam, Kudji, Tanka and Mangit in Khari tehsil, while rooftops of over a dozen houses were damaged in sub-division Banihal, Ramsoo and Gool. A religious school was also damaged when a tree fell on its building in the Batote area of the district, they said.
Democratic Progressive Azad Party chairman and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed concern over the widespread damage across several hamlets due to the inclement weather. Azad urged the Lt Governor-led administration to assess the damage and pay adequate compensation to victims.
A snowfall up to two to three feet was reported in high altitude areas including Pir Ki Gali in Poonch, Sinthan top in Kishtwar, Chatergala in Doda district over the past 24 hours, officials said. A hail storm also hit various parts of Jammu during the day.
