Fresh landslide kills seven in rain-ravaged Poonch, J&K toll rises to 17

NEW DELHI: At least seven people were killed after a landslide struck a mud house in Jammu and Kashmir’s rain-hit Poonch district on Monday, officials said.The latest incident occurred in the higher reaches of Loran village, where a mud house was buried under debris following the landslide. Among those killed were four women, officials said.Rescue operations are under way at the site.Officials said Poonch has been battered by torrential rain since Saturday evening. With the latest incident, 17 people have lost their lives in the district, while six others remain missing.In a separate operation, a joint team of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and the Indian Army carried out a rescue and recovery operation to retrieve a body from the Munawar River in the Nowshera area of Rajouri district.The fresh tragedy comes a day after torrential rain triggered flash floods and landslides across the Pir Panjal region, killing at least 14 people and leaving several others trapped under debris.Chief minister Omar Abdullah cut short his visit to New Delhi and flew to Jammu on Sunday to oversee relief and rescue operations. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha also reviewed the situation and directed officials to provide immediate assistance to affected families.The heavy rain also disrupted traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and led to the temporary suspension of the annual Amarnath Yatra and pilgrimages to the Vaishno Devi shrine and Shiv Khori after the India Meteorological Department forecast more adverse weather.Rescue operations involving the Army, police, SDRF, NDRF, civil administration and local volunteers are continuing in the worst-affected areas of Poonch and Rajouri as authorities search for the missing and assess the damage.