Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar
Srinagar, Sept 4: A devastating landslide in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district has left at least seven Kashmiri labourers feared dead, according to officials on Thursday. All the missing individuals were residents of Tulail village in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir and had been working as daily wage labourers in the region.
Rescue operations are ongoing in the affected area, where teams continue to search through the debris. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) reported that two residential structures were completely buried in the landslide, with an estimated 12 to 13 people trapped under the rubble.
“NDRF teams are conducting Collapsed Structure Search and Rescue (CSSR) operations. So far, three injured individuals have been rescued and one body has been recovered,” said an NDRF official. “Efforts are underway to locate the remaining victims.”
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed sorrow over the incident and assured that his office is in constant contact with Kullu’s local administration. “All necessary help is being extended,” his office posted on social media platform X.
The landslide in Kullu adds to an already grim monsoon season in the region. Both Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir have been grappling with severe natural disasters, including cloudbursts and landslides.
Just weeks earlier, on August 14, a cloudburst in Chashoti village of J&K’s Kishtwar district claimed 67 lives and injured more than 100 others—many of them pilgrims participating in the Machail Mata Yatra.
Another landslide struck the Trikuta Hills in Reasi district on August 26, leading to the deaths of at least 35 pilgrims of the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine. The tragic event occurred when the pilgrimage had been temporarily halted and many devotees had taken refuge in temporary shelters along the route. One of these shelters was struck by the landslide.
In response, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has ordered the formation of a special committee, led by the Additional Chief Secretary, to investigate the causes behind the Vaishno Devi route landslide.
With multiple disasters hitting the Himalayan region in recent weeks, authorities remain on high alert as rescue operations continue amidst challenging terrain and unpredictable weather conditions.