At least 110 domestic animals including sheep and goats were killed and the power infrastructure also got damaged after multiple cloudbursts struck Thanamandi area of border Rajouri district in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday evening.
Reports said that today evening a major hailstorm followed by heavy rains witnessed in Thanamandi area. In the meantime, multiple cloudbursts strike in the area resulting into the killing of the livestock including sheep and goats.
Besides the loss of livestock, poultry farms, private property and infrastructure have also been damaged. Exact details about damage to the property could not be ascertained immediately. Power infrastructure got also damaged due to the natural calamity in Rajdhani, Thanamandi and Manyal areas.
Due to the massive hailstorm followed by heavy rains and subsequently the cloudbursts, nearly ten families of nomadic Bakerwals got trapped at the higher reaches while their livestock numbering at least 110 got killed. However, no loss of human life or injury has been reported so far.
The affected included Mohd Farooq son of Abdullah, Mohd Aslam and Mohd Bashir both son of Sain, Mohd Zubair son of Babu, Kamma son of Mohd Yaqoob, Mohd Yasin son of Sain, Kalam Din son of Mohd Yaqoob, Mohd Taris son of Mod Sharief, Mohd Iqbal son of Mohd Yaisn and Mohd Yaseen son of Sain Mohammad, all residents of Androoth.
The road was also blocked due to the natural calamity. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on the road due to the accumulation of debris leading to blockade of the road.
A massive rescue operation was launched immediately by the authorities in the sub-division.
A team headed by SDPO Thanamandi Iftkhar Choudhary rushed to the spot along with men and machinery and cleared a long stretch of road in Manyal area while hectic efforts were made to clear debris in Rajdhani area where the cloudbursts have struck, a senior officer of the district administration told.
Local volunteers also joined the operation and extended a lot of help and assistance for timely rescue and clearance of the blocked road, he said.
BRO Team along with 3 machines were also joined road clearance operation, he said.
An immediate amount of Rs 3 lakh was sanctioned for assistance to the affected families. Deputy Commissioner Rajouri Dr Shahiod Iqbal Choudary and SSP Yougal Manhas coordinated the arrangement for resources mobilisation, he said. (GNS)