Two missing after landslide in J-K's Reasi, rescue operations launched

Rescuers have intensified their search efforts, deploying over a dozen earthmovers to clear the debris in the affected area, an official said

At least two persons have been reported missing following a major landslide in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district following which rescue operations has been launched, a senior government officer said on Tuesday, reported the PTI.

The officer said that rescuers have intensified their search efforts, deploying over a dozen earthmovers to clear the debris in the affected area.

According to the PTI, the landslide occurred near Avtar Morh near the remote Chassana area along the under-construction Budhhal-Mahore-Gool road on Monday, Reasi Deputy Commissioner Vishesh Paul Mahajan said.

Vishesh Paul Mahajan confirmed that two persons were missing, including the driver of an earthmover, are reported missing.

He added that the missing persons are believed to be trapped under the debris.

A search was on to locate the missing persons, the officials said.

Senior civil officials and police officers have rushed to the site and were overseeing the large-scale rescue operation, he said, adding that over 12 earthmovers are engaged in removing the debris and find the missing persons, the news agency reported on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, in an another incident, earlier this month, two women pilgrims had died while a girl was injured in a landslide on the new track to the Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, the officials had earlier said, reported the PTI.

According to the officials, the landslide hit the route near Panchi, some three kilometres ahead of Bhawan around 2.35 pm on September 2, as per the PTI.

A portion of an overhead iron structure was also damaged following the incident and a massive rescue and relief operation was launched following the incident, the officials had earlier stated.

The pilgrims were heading for the shrine when they got trapped under the iron structure following the landslide, they had said.

Deputy Commissioner of Reasi Vishesh Paul Mahajan had quoted the preliminary information report to say that two women have died and a girl has been grievously injured in the incident, according to the PTI.

The officials had said that a rescue operation was launched immediately after the landslide and movement of pilgrims on the track was temporarily suspended.

(with PTI inputs)

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