Rajouri cloudburst and flash floods kill four people

A powerful cloudburst in the Rajdhani Panchayat of the Thanamandi subdivision triggered devastating flash floods and landslides in the Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir on July 19. The disaster, reported to have occurred at approximately 14 different locations, resulted in at least four deaths and widespread destruction of infrastructure and property.

Heavy flows of water through local nallahs washed away the main bus stand, numerous vehicles, and several residential houses. In the Rajdhani Panchayat, the impact was particularly severe, with roads, agricultural land, and cultivated fields being destroyed. One family of six lost their home entirely and was forced to seek shelter in a government school.

Authorities have issued warnings to residents to avoid traveling unnecessarily and to stay away from rivers and flood-prone areas due to the ongoing risk of inundation in low-lying regions.