Massive cloudburst triggered flash floods washing away four members of a nomad’s family in the Alpine resort of Aru at Pahalgam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday night. Two bodies have been recovered so far and two are still lying under the debris of boulders at the cloudburst site.
District development commissioner of Anantnag Bashir Ahmad Khan told that they have recovered the bodies of brother sister duo and bodies of their mother and six month old baby are perhaps lying under the debris.
“A nomadic family from Rajouri had pitched two tents at Aru when the cloud burst struck the area at around 9.30 pm on Saturday. The head of the family immediately swung into action and saved his father and mother. By the time he returned to evacuate his other family members, the water had washed them away,” said Khan.
The cloudburst triggered massive flash floods in the area bringing mounds of debris along. “There is around eight feet debris at the site. We fear that the two bodies of lady and her baby are lying under the mounds of debris,” said Khan.
Rescuers have reached the spot and are trying to clear the debris in order to retrieve the bodies. “Our rescue teams have reached the spot and have started clearing the debris. The weather has started improving,” said a police officer.
The cloudburst coupled with the incessant rains has led to the increase in the water levels in Jhelum and its tributaries. Jhelum was flowing at 18.5 feet at Sangam guage which is five feet below the danger mark.
Authorities have suspended Amarnath yatra from Pahalgam route due to the bad weather and incessant rains. Around 8,000 yatries are stationed in different camps en route to the cave shrine. “Weather is improving and hopefully the yatra will resume from Monday morning,” said Khan.
