Woman Dies in Mudslide Triggered by Heavy Rains in Kashmir, Highway Blocked for Hours

A 50-year-old woman died after her mud house collapsed due to a mudslide triggered by incessant rains in the Kokernag area of South Kashmir's Anantnag district on Friday. The incident occurred at Takiya Magam, Kokernag, where the mudslide damaged the house belonging to Abdul Hamid. His wife, Saleema Begum, was trapped under the debris and sustained injuries. She was taken to GMC Anantnag for treatment but succumbed to her injuries.

Authorities have taken cognizance of the incident. The fresh snowfall in higher reaches and rains in the plains of Kashmir continued for the second straight day, bringing the mercury further down in the valley.

Why this matters: The tragic incident highlights the vulnerability of residents in areas prone to natural disasters, especially during heavy rainfall. It emphasizes the necessity for improved infrastructure and disaster preparedness measures to protect lives and property in the region.

The heavy rains also caused landslides at multiple places, leading to the blockage of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway (NH-44) for around five hours in the Ramban district. The district disaster management authority in Srinagar issued an advisory cautioning people living near water bodies against venturing near these areas.

The Meteorological centre in Srinagar has predicted an improvement in the weather from Saturday, with generally dry weather expected from April 21-25, although isolated thundershowers are possible. The Met department advised the public not to venture out near streams, Nallahs and other water bodies during the next 2-3 days due to the possibility of landslides, mudslides and shooting stones at vulnerable places.

A police official stated, "Saleema Begum, wife of Abdul Hamid, died after their mud house collapsed due to mudslide amid incessant rains at Takiya Magam, Kokernag. She was shifted to GMC Anantnag in an injured condition but succumbed to her injuries." The intermittent rains affected life and traffic movement in the region on Friday. The weather conditions are expected to improve gradually from tonight, but the possibility of scattered rains on April 20 cannot be ruled out.

Key Takeaways

• 50-year-old woman died as her mud house collapsed due to a mudslide in Kokernag, Kashmir.
• Incessant rains triggered the mudslide, which damaged the house and trapped the woman.
• Authorities have taken cognizance, highlighting the need for better disaster preparedness.
• Heavy rains also caused landslides, blocking the Jammu-Srinagar highway for hours.
• Weather expected to improve, but advisory issued against venturing near water bodies.