Rain Wreaks Havoc In Jammu & Kashmir; 12 Killed, Several Missing After Landslides, Flash Floods
Rain Wreaks Havoc In Jammu & Kashmir; 12 Killed, Several Missing After Landslides, Flash Floods Published By, Last Updated: July 19, 2026, 21:33 IST Officials
Rain Wreaks Havoc In Jammu & Kashmir; 12 Killed, Several Missing After Landslides, Flash Floods Published By, Last Updated: July 19, 2026, 21:33 IST Officials said the heavy rains wreaked havoc in Poonch, damaging around 93 houses, 17 schools, 24 gharats and three shops. Rapid Read Residents gather in the aftermath of torrential rain-triggered landslides and flash floods, at Dhara Sangla village of Surankote tehsil, in Poonch district on Monday. (PTI photo) As many as 12 people were killed and several others went missing after torrential rains triggered landslides and flash floods in the border districts of Poonch and Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday. The heavy rainfall caused extensive damage to public and private property, including roads and houses, officials said. According to government data, nine people were killed and three were injured in Poonch while Rajouri reported three deaths, two missing persons and one injury. Rain Damages Over 100 Houses, 18 Schools The calamity caused extensive damage to infrastructure, with 93 houses, 17 schools, 24 gharats and three shops damaged in Poonch, where mobile connectivity on BSNL and Airtel networks was also disrupted in some areas.
The worst-hit area was Surankote tehsil in Poonch, where most of the deaths were reported, PTI reported. In Rajouri, 42 houses, a school and 56 vehicles were damaged, while nearly 90 per cent of the Bella Bus Stand and the Children’s Park were washed away. Water supply to around 300 houses was affected, and a total of 127 kanal of crop area suffered damage across the two districts. Search Operations Launched Rescue teams continued their search operations to locate the missing persons as efforts intensified in the rain-hit region. The devastation prompted Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to cancel the Conference’s proposed statehood protest in Delhi on Monday and rush to Jammu to assess the situation and oversee relief operations. CM Abdullah arrived at the Civil Secretariat at around 6 pm, where he chaired a high-level meeting to review the damage caused by the torrential rains and coordinate the government’s response. “The rescue efforts are ongoing while all measures are being taken to provide immediate relief to the affected population," Deputy Commissioner Poonch Ashok Kumar Sharma, who visited various flood-hit areas during the day, told PTI.
CM Omar Abdullah Expresses Grief Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the loss of lives caused by the rain fury and assured the affected people of all possible assistance and rehabilitation. chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami also conveyed their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and expressed solidarity with those affected by the calamity. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit Key Questions Answered What is the current status of the missing persons? As of Sunday, July 19, 2026, reports indicate varying numbers of missing persons following landslides and flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir. How will the government support affected families? The government will provide full support, relief, and rescue efforts to flood-affected families. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that safeguarding lives is the government's top priority. The administration's immediate focus is on protecting lives. Could climate change worsen such events in J&K? Yes, climate change could worsen such events in J&K.
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