Heavy rains triggered landslides in the Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) on Sunday, August 17, 2025, resulting in at least seven fatalities and eleven injuries. The casualties occurred across the Jodh Ghati and Janglote areas. Among the deceased were five children. The calamity struck shortly after a cloudburst in Kishtwar, where rescue operations were already underway.
The incidents in Kathua involved both cloudbursts and landslides following heavy overnight rains. Five people died in Jodh Ghati due to a cloudburst that also disrupted access to the village and damaged homes. Two additional fatalities were reported in Janglote due to a landslide. A family is feared trapped under debris after a landslide in Juthana Jodh village.
Rescue operations were promptly initiated by the police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), and local volunteers. The Army, NDRF, and SDRF are assisting victims. Due to road blockages, helicopters are being used to rescue stranded individuals. The civilian administration, military, and paramilitary forces have also joined the rescue and relief efforts. Injured people are being airlifted to hospitals.
The cloudburst and subsequent flooding caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including roads and homes. Several vehicles were swept away by the debris. Train services on the Jammu-Pathankot line were temporarily suspended due to rising water levels. Waterlogging was reported in industrial areas, the Kendriya Vidyalaya campus, and the Kathua police station. Landslides also occurred in Bagard, Changda, and Dilwan-Hutli villages.
Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar confirmed the fatalities and ongoing rescue operations. He noted that evacuation efforts are being carried out by the SDRF, Army, J&K Police, and civil administration. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, assuring them of full support from the central government. J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the loss of lives and directed the administration to intensify rescue and evacuation measures and announced ex-gratia assistance to the families of the deceased from the CM's relief fund, in addition to State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) support.
An advisory has been issued for Kathua residents, urging them to remain alert for potential flash floods and landslides due to the continuing heavy rainfall. The recent events in Kathua and Kishtwar have prompted discussions about the increasing frequency of extreme weather events in the region and the need for improved disaster preparedness and infrastructure. Experts suggest that changing rainfall patterns and climate pressures in the Himalayas are contributing factors.
