J&K rain death toll rises to 21

Srinagar: The death toll in rain-related incidents in Jammu and Kashmir rose to 23 on Monday as heavy rains triggered landslides and flash floods in the Union Territory. The rise in fatalities comes as the India Meteorological Department has forecast very heavy rainfall at a few places in Jammu and Kashmir on July 20 and 21. Jammu and Kashmir remained the worst-affected as at least 11 people, including a mother and her two children, were killed in rain-related incidents across Jammu, raising the death toll to 23 over the past two days, officials said. Seven people remained missing as persistent heavy rains hampered rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit districts of Poonch and Rajouri earlier in the day. Although efforts were intensified as the weather improved, search teams failed to trace the missing persons so far, the officials said. In a heart-wrenching incident, seven people, including a woman and her two children, were buried alive after a landslide triggered by heavy rains brought down their mud house in the upper reaches of Loran in Poonch, officials said. They further said that the Jammu-Kishtwar national highway remained blocked as a couple of private vehicles were also hit by boulders in the area. However, the occupants of the vehicles escaped unhurt. The fresh spell of rain began around 3 am in the twin border districts and continued unabated till the last reports were received, making rescue and search operations difficult in the affected areas, the officials said. Swollen streams, slippery terrain and poor visibility hindered the movement of rescue teams, who have been racing against time to trace the missing.