Tragic Monsoon Rains Cause Two Deaths in Jammu & Kashmir’s Reasi and Kathua

JAMMU, Jammu & Kashmir, India – August 23, 2025:Heavy rain overnight led to two deaths and several injuries in separate incidents in the Reasi and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Shahbaz Ahmad died in a Reasi landslide, and Ravi died after a flash flood swept his car away in Kathua. These incidents happened early Saturday morning, exposing how risky the region is during monsoon season. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local authorities started rescue and relief work right away, though it’s been tough. These tragedies show how important it is for the region to get ready for disasters and build stronger infrastructure as weather gets worse.

Landslide Causes Death in Reasi

The first death happened in Reasi district’s Mahore area. Officials said a landslide hit a truck with three people inside near Malai Nallah around 2:30 a.m. Saturday. The non-stop, heavy rain for the last day caused the landslide.

Shahbaz Ahmad, from Jamlan village, died right away. Javed Ahmad and Abdul Gani, the other two in the truck, were hurt. They were quickly saved and taken to a hospital.

Flash Flood Kills in Kathua

In another terrible event, a man died in a Kathua district flash flood. Ravi was driving when he tried to cross a stream near Dreamland Park that was overflowing. His car was caught in the strong current and washed away.

A rescue team found his body later. The team included people from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police. This is a harsh reminder of how dangerous it is to drive through flooded areas when it rains hard.

Rescue Efforts and Official Reaction

Local officials and rescue teams started working right after both incidents. The land in Reasi and Kathua, especially Mahore, makes rescue work hard because the slopes are unsteady, and there’s a constant risk of more landslides.

The J&K Meteorological Department (MeT) had warned about heavy rain, flash floods, and landslides from August 23 to 26. They advised the public to be careful and stay away from risky areas, especially near rivers and mountain roads.

Region’s Wider Problems

Besides the deaths, the heavy rains have caused problems all over. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway has been closed sometimes because of falling rocks and landslides. This has left many vehicles stuck and messed up important supply lines.

Also, a private bus with about 20 people overturned near a bridge in Arnia’s RS Pura area. The driver lost control, causing the bus to slide off the road. The injured people, including some students, were taken to a hospital, and four are in serious condition.

Past Monsoon Disasters

These events are happening more often and getting worse during monsoon season in Jammu and Kashmir. The region often has problems like flash floods and landslides because of its mountains and fragile environment.

Just days earlier, on August 17, a cloudburst in Kathua’s Jodh Ghati and a landslide at Janglote killed seven people. Before that, on August 14, a cloudburst in Kishtwar district killed at least 61. These repeated events show that there’s a big problem that the government is trying to handle.

Government Readiness and Problems

The Jammu and Kashmir government is working on disaster management, using MeT department alerts and sending out SDRF and NDRF teams. The government has closed schools and set up control rooms to watch what’s happening.

But these weather events are happening so often and are so strong that it’s hard to keep up. The roads and bridges aren’t strong enough to handle flash floods and landslides. This results in continued loss of life and property.

Future Disaster Fixes

Because people keep dying during monsoon season, we need to rethink our disaster plans. This means not just quick rescue and relief but also planning for the long run. We need to build stronger infrastructure and set up better early warning systems at the local level.

It’s also important to make people aware of the dangers so they listen to official warnings. Since climate change is making weather stranger and more violent, the government and people need to work together to make Jammu and Kashmir stronger and more ready.

Reported by: Herohind News Desk