Man killed in cloudburst in Poonch, several areas flooded in Rajouri; heavy rain in Kashmir

Poonch/Srinagar: Heavy rain lashed many parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, triggering flash floods in twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch that left one person dead, officials said.

Srinagar and other areas in Kashmir were also pounded by torrential rains, ending a prolonged heatwave during which the Valley had experienced the hottest July day in more than 70 years.

A cloudburst occurred in Khori Wala Bela Bala of Loran tehsil in Poonch, where a person identified as Gulam Mohammed lost his life, the officials said.

The intense rainfall triggered a surge in water levels, landslide-like conditions and flash floods in the area this evening, they said, adding that the Loran road was blocked.

Local authorities and rescue teams rushed to the site to assess the situation and carry out relief operations.Gulam Mohammad's body was recovered about 400 metres away and handed over to his family after necessary legal formalities, they said.

The officials have urged residents in the higher reaches of Poonch to remain alert, as weather conditions continue to remain unpredictable.

Heavy rainfall caused inundation of main roads in parts of Rajouri town. Shopkeepers suffered losses as overflowing water entered shops and other business establishments, they said.

In the Darhal area, landslides were triggered by heavy rainfall, damaging several acres of land. A multi-storey house also appears on the verge of collapse due to a landslide.

Several areas in Srinagar, including Downtown, were inundated. The heavy rains flooded roads, leading to massive traffic snarls across the city, the officials said.

Electricity was snapped due to high-speed winds that preceded the rains, they said, adding there were reports of trees and electric poles getting uprooted in many areas of the Valley.

Properties were damaged due to the falling of trees, but there were no reports of any casualties, they said.

"Moderate to heavy rain was reported from most parts of Kashmir, with Srinagar city getting torrential showers," an official said The rains have ended a prolonged heat wave in Kashmir. Srinagar city witnessed the third hottest day ever as mercury soared to 37.4 degrees Celsius on Saturday. This was the hottest day recorded in the Valley since July 5, 1953, when the city had recorded a high of 37.7 degrees.