Massive Landslide In Himachal: 7 Kashmiris Missing, Feared Dead

Srinagar- At least seven residents from Kashmir are feared dead after a massive landslide struck Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh on Wednesday night, officials confirmed on Thursday. The pall of gloom has descended on Tulail in north Kashmir’s Bandipora, the native place of some victims, who were working in Himachal Pradesh as labourers and shawl sellers when the disaster struck.

The tragedy has triggered a wave of panic among Kashmiri labourers working in Kullu. A video that went viral on social media showed several of them pleading with the Jammu and Kashmir government to come to their rescue. In the video, one worker can be heard saying, “We are trapped here, we have no relatives here and nowhere to go. We appeal to the government to rescue us. At least seven people from Kashmir are feared dead. A young man from Kupwara is trapped in the debris; he is only 18 years old, and there are no whereabouts about him.” An old Kashmiri labourer, visibly shaken, is heard in the video describing the horror. In a trembling voice, he said, “This is for the first time we have witnessed such rainfall here and we are terrified with what has happened. We went to offer prayers, and when we came back, the scene was terrifying. We think one is alive and six have died. We are in the mouth of death.” His words capture the dread and helplessness of those stranded in the disaster-hit region.

According to officials, the calamity was so severe that two residential structures were razed to the ground, leaving more than a dozen people trapped under the rubble. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) stated that its teams promptly initiated collapsed structure search and rescue (CSSR) operations in the area. In a post on X, the NDRF said, “An NDRF team carried out collapsed structure search and rescue operations, during which three injured persons were rescued and one body was recovered. Search and rescue operations are continuing to trace the remaining trapped victims.” The Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Gurez confirmed that among those feared dead are four residents of Tulail in Bandipora, who have been identified as Mehrajudin Lone,Tariq Ahmad Sheikh; Hussain Lone and Rashid Sheikh.Further details about the other victims are still awaited as the rescue efforts continue amid difficult terrain and precarious conditions. Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister’s Office expressed deep grief over the loss of lives in Kullu. In a statement posted on X, the CMO said, “Chief Minister has expressed grief over the tragic landslide in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, which has claimed several lives, including residents of J&K. The Chief Minister’s Office is in touch with the local administration in Kullu, and all possible assistance is being extended.” Back in Kashmir, families of the trapped labourers are anxiously waiting for news, with villagers in Tulail gathering in mosques and courtyards, their eyes glued to mobile screens for updates from Himachal. Officials in Srinagar said that the victims were eking out their livelihood in Himachal Pradesh when nature’s fury struck, and rescue operations are being carried out in full swing by multiple agencies, though the challenging weather and terrain have slowed progress.