Jammu, Apr 18: Five persons of a family among six persons were killed and several houses gutted as rains coupled with flash floods and thunderstorm continue to wreak havoc across the Jammu region.
Reports reaching here revealed that torrential rains continue to lash the upper reaches of the region on the third consecutive day throwing normal life out of gear and plummeting mercury further.
Five members of a family, including two women and two children, were killed and another injured after their house came under a landslides triggered by heavy rains in the upper reaches of Doda district during the wee hours on Monday, official sources said. Portion of the house came under a big bolder and six persons of the family, who were sleeping in one room were buried under the debris, the locals told Greater Kashmir. While a minor girl was rescued in injured condition, five persons, including two women and two minors, were killed on the spot. They said that six other family members, who were sleeping in another room of the house, escaped unhurt.
 The locals rushed to the spot and started rescue operation. Army personnel, police with the help of the locals launched the rescue operation but could save only one girl, reports reaching here revealed.
 The deceased have been identified as Lateef-ullah Sheikh son of Ghulam Hassan Sheikh, his wife Shareefa Begum, Shamshad Begum D/o Muhammad Sharif, her sister Sanya Bano and Fatima Banoo D/o Muhammad Qasim.
 Meanwhile, a cop was washed away in flash floods in Kathua district, police said.
 Police constable Patdev Singh was crossing the river Ujh in Kathua district when flash floods triggered by rains washed him away yesterday. His body was later recovered from the river.
 Police said that at least five houses were gutted in a fire triggered by lightning in Upper Garnai village of Rambal in Udhampur district. At least sixteen families were putting up in the five houses.
 Lightning struck the house of Fareed Ali late last night triggering fire in Garnai village, 87 km from Jammu, official sources said today.
 Locals and forest officials tried to douse the flames but it gutted houses belonging to over 16 families.
 However, there was no loss of life or injury to anyone in the incident, they said. Sources said that several structures received damage due to the torrential rains in the upper reaches of Poonch, Kishtwar and Ramban districts.

Lastupdate on : Mon, 18 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Mon, 18 Apr 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Tue, 19 Apr 2011 00:00:00 IST