Kishtwar cloudburst: Success eludes search teams

Jammu, Aug 2: Rescuers continued searches at Honzar village in Kishtwar district on Monday but success eluded them in finding any of the 19 persons including eight women who are missing following a cloudburst in the remote village on intervening night of July 27 and 28.
Officials said that Director General of Police Dilbag Singh also had an aerial survey of the Honzar Dachan village. He also chaired a high-level meeting during which, among others, he stressed the need for intensifying the rescue operation to trace the missing persons.
“He directed the officers to provide all necessary support and help to the affected people of the village,” a police official said.
While seeking reports regarding the loss and damage in the village, the top police officer of J&K emphasized upon the officers that besides, the efforts of administration, involve the local community members for rehabilitation of the affected families. Success has been eluding the search teams after seven bodies were recovered and seventeen persons rescued in injured condition after the calamity on Wednesday last.
Authorities have pressed additional rescue teams of NDRF and SDRF for carrying out the rescue operation. Several teams of the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) with “sophisticated equipment” were earlier involved in the operation along with other rescuers from police, Army and local volunteers, the officials said.
The missing persons include Saja Begum (60) wife of Ghulam Mohidin, Khursheed Ahmed (31) son of Mohammad Iqbal, Fida Hussain (26) son of Mohammad Ramzan, Mohammad Sharif (40) son of Ghulam Rasool, Almina Tasbassum (22) daughter of Mohammad Iqbal, Mata Begum (45) wife of Lala Tantry, Ghulam Mohammad (70) son of Ghulam Rasool, Fazal Hussain (18) son of Rustom Ali Chopan, Tariq Hussain (50) son of Nazir Ahmed, Zarina Begum (40) wife of Tariq Hussain, Mata Begum (45) wife of Ghulam Rasool, Fatima Begum (56) wife of Ghulam Ahmed, Bashir Ahmed (45) son of Rustum Ali, Begum (45) wife of Abdul Rehman, Sharifa Begum (38) wife of Ghulam Mohammad, Shakir Hussain (22) son of Ghulam Ahmed, Ghulam Ahmed (65) son of Abdul Aziz, Zubaida Banoo (25) daughter of Ghulam Ahmed and Khalid son of Haji Gami.
The police on Saturday have also started a community kitchen to provide meals to affected people of village Hounzar. The police said to have erected tents to provide the temporary shelter at the site.