Cloudburst Hits Thathri In Doda, Houses Flooded With Mudslides

JAMMU: A cloudburst on Friday caused flash floods in Thathri market of Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda district, laying mudslides in several houses and the Batote-Kishtwar National Highway, leading to significant disruption in traffic.

However, there have been no reports of injuries or fatalities so far, officials said.

The cloudburst followed by flash floods around 3 am triggered substantial mudslides that affected the entire market area of Thathri town and several residential houses along the highway, with some vehicles trapped in the debris, they said.

Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Thathri Masood Ahmed Bichoo said the mudslides were extensive due to the sudden cloudburst, but fortunately the flash floods hit near the less populated Army gate area.

“Despite significant debris in the market area, there have been no major losses and restoration work is on,” he said.

The SDM said the traffic on the highway has been partially restored.”We expect to clear all debris from the market area by afternoon,” he added.

A cloudburst earlier on July 20, 2017, had caused significant damage in Thathri town, washing away a dozen structures near the Jamia Masjid and injuring several people. (PTI)