At least four people lost their lives and several others were injured after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir late Saturday night. Rescue operations are currently underway with teams from the Army, paramilitary, and local administration on the ground.
The sudden deluge caused damage to sections of the railway track, National Highway, and even the local police station in Kathua. Authorities have issued a weather advisory warning of &ldquo;heavy to very heavy rainfall&rdquo; and urged residents to stay away from rivers, streams, and landslide-prone areas.
This is the second major cloudburst in J&amp;K in four days. On August 14, the Chashoti village in Kishtwar was devastated by flash floods following a massive cloudburst. The disaster flattened markets, temples, and homes, leaving 65 dead, 75 missing, and hundreds displaced. Among the deceased were personnel from the CISF and local police.
The Kishtwar tragedy also disrupted the annual Machail Mata Yatra, which remains suspended for the third consecutive day. Rescue teams, including NDRF, SDRF, Army personnel, and local volunteers, are continuing large-scale search and recovery efforts, deploying earthmovers, equipment, and dog squads to locate missing persons.
Both Kathua and Kishtwar cloudbursts have highlighted the increasing vulnerability of J&amp;K&rsquo;s hilly regions to extreme rainfall events, causing widespread loss of life, property, and infrastructure.
[Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by the Benefit News editorial team and is published directly from the IANS news feed.]
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Flash floods in Kathua leave four dead, several injured; rescue teams deployed

Cloudburst in J&K’s Kathua Kills Four

Flash floods in Kathua leave four dead, several injured; rescue teams deployed

August 17, 2025 | 16:33 IST