Poonch, 19 July (H.S.): Heavy rain in Poonch, Mendhar and Mandi areas caused damage to several houses and three other structures while flooded river and Nallahs caused land erosion at several places during early hours today.

Mughal Road was also blocked for a few hours due to a land slide, however the road was restored shortly.

Official sources said that rain caused significant damage to several houses, a Madrassa, and a Gurudwara. The affected areas include Panchayat Sangyot’s Ward No. 4, where at least three residential houses and a Madrassa suffered damage while three other houses were damaged in Mandi and Haveli Tehsils of Poonch.

Sources further said that six houses, a Madrassa, a Gurudwara at Dera Nangali Sahib suffered damage due to heavy rains and slide in the area Three link roads were blocked due to landslides but were later reopened.

Vikas Kundal Deputy Commissioner Poonch along with Mohd Sayeed, ACR and Azhar Majeed, Tehsildar Haveli visited the affected areas, including Dera Nangali Sahib, to assess the damage. The DC instructed officials to conduct an immediate assessment of losses and provide compensation to those affected.

During visit DC issued on the spot instructions to officials for immediate assessment of losses and providing compensation to them.

Interacting with media Kundal confirmed that three roads were blocked due to sliding which were reopened. He said few houses were damaged due to slide in Sangyote. The land slide also damaged stairs at Gurudwara Santpura Nangali Sahib.

Reports said in Sangyot at least six residential houses and an educational institution suffered damage. According to locals, rains led to landslide subsidence amid ongoing construction of four-lane road through the area.

The damage could have been substantially prevented if a protection wall been constructed by the authorities, a local said.

Confirming the damage to some structures, a senior officer said that assessment will be carried out soon. While there are reports about damage to some structures but exact damage is not known yet and would be known after assessment.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar