Six persons still missing a week after Poonch flash flood; families continue search on their own

Poonch: A week after devastating flash floods struck Murrah village in Surankote subdivision of Poonch district, six people remain missing, with local residents continuing search operations on their own amid the absence of large-scale recovery efforts.

The flash floods, triggered by intense rainfall, claimed eight lives and caused extensive destruction to houses, roads and other infrastructure in the village. However, six persons are yet to be traced despite the passage of seven days.

With the road leading to the affected village still blocked, residents said they have been carrying out search operations using whatever limited resources are available to them. They alleged that no major rescue machinery has been deployed to locate the missing persons.

Locals told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that some human body parts have been recovered during the ongoing search, raising fears that the missing victims may have been swept away or buried under the debris brought by the flash floods.

They said the continued closure of the road has further hampered rescue and relief operations, making it difficult to transport equipment and essential supplies to the affected area.

Meanwhile, the Jammu & Kashmir Gujjar Bakerwal Youth Welfare Conference (JKGBYWC) expressed concern over the pace of rescue and relief operations, alleging that the affected families have been left to carry out searches with limited resources despite six people remaining untraced.

The organisation urged the administration to deploy specialised rescue teams equipped with advanced machinery to intensify efforts to recover the missing persons, restore road connectivity and electricity on a priority basis, and provide adequate compensation and rehabilitation to the affected families. The JKGBYWC also warned that if prompt action is not taken, the Gujjar Bakerwal community would be compelled to launch protests after weather conditions improve. [KNT]