Natural catastrophe strikes Reasi village
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Aug 3: Natural catastrophe has struck hilly village Bassa in Tehsil Thuroo of Dharmari Sub-Division in Reasi district where massive landslides and sinking of earth forced at least three dozen family to flee from their homes, which got collapsed or extensively damaged.
According to official reports, 36 families have so far left their houses which got completely or partially damaged because of continuous landslides and sinking of earth since last Sunday following incessant rains in the area.
Because of the landslides, boulders and muck came crashing down on houses and fields while sinking of earth has led to huge fissure on land as well as buildings in the entire village.
However, there was no loss of life as the villagers timely left their houses and moved to open while administration rushed to the village and launched relief operations.
SDM Dharmari, Tariq Ajiz who is personally camping the village and supervising the entire relief operation, told the Excelsior that a few houses have completely collapsed while several other were partially damaged in the landslides.
“The family members who were already alert escaped to the safer places and so far 36 families have taken shelter in the tents provided by the District Administration and 58-Rashtriya Rifles of the Indian Army,” he said and added that ration as well as cash relief have also been provided to the affected families.
“We were forced to take shelter in makeshift tents after debris from landsliding started felling on our houses. Our farms are damaged, our houses are completely collapsed. We are already struggling due to the COVID-19. How will we recover from this disaster?”, rued a villager.
“This is a catastrophic damage and we were left with no time to collect our belongings,” said another villager while pointing towards the household items buried under debris of the landslide.
Naib Sarpanch Thuroo-A, Shabnam Banoo said that heavy landslide buried more than 30 residential houses in Bassa village and so far 36 families have been evacuated to safer places. While a few have moved to their relatives, others are taking shelter in the tents provided by the administration and Army.
When contacted, DC Reasi, Babila Rakwal said that administration was providing all possible help to the villagers in this tough time. “District administration has already visited the site and providing all necessary help, including ration and cash assistance of Rs 5 thousands to each family. Moreover, SDRF, Police team and Red Cross teams are also present in the area and SDM Dharmari along with Tehsildar are personally monitoring the situation there,” she said.
Reports said that almost 50 to 60 kanal land has sunk and developed fissures while around 400 kanal area was affected because of the natural phenomenon following incessant rains.
The persons, whose houses were damaged, have been identifies as Mohd Yakub, son of Ghulam Qadir, Mohd Aslam son of Sanaullah, Jamal Din son of Mohd Ibrahim, Abdul Ahad son of Rehman, Ismail son of Abdul Ghani, Abdul Ahad son of Abdul Ghani, Mohd Shafkat son of Haji Khaleel, Mohd Shafi son of Mohd Yakub, Mohd Sultan son of Mohd Abdullah, Ghulam Mohidin son of Subra, Mohd Yakub son of Sabra , Mohd Yakub son of Haji Bashir Ahmed, Bashir Ahmed son of Ali Mohd, Sajad Ahmed son of Jamal Din, Mohd Hussain son of Dulla, Abdul Qayoom son of Abdulla, Mohd Iqbal son of Abdul Rehman Sheikh, Maqsood ul Hassan son of Mohd Iqbal, Muzzaffar son of Abdul, Abdul Aziz son of Ghulam Qadir, Mohd Imran son of Abdullah, Bashir Ahmed son of Mohd Farooq, Javeed Ahmed son of Jamal Din, Mohd Rafi son of Abdul Rashid, Shabir Ahmed son of Abdul Rashid, Asif son of Abdul Rehman, Aijaz Ahmed son of Abdul Rehman, Imtiaz son of Aziz, Mohd Sharif son of Shamsdin, Tanveer Ahmed son of Mohd Khalil, Mohd Sadiq son of Sabua, Abdul Rashid son of Abdul Rehman, Ashiq Hussain son of Abdul Rashid, Abdullah son of Astu, Farid Ahmed son of Sultan and Shabir Ahmed son of Ghulam Qadir.
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