Sixteen people are believed to have been killed when a landslide brought down the house at Laddan village in Budgam district early Monday morning.
Nine bodies, including that of a 22-day-old baby, were recovered by evening and the police said it was unlikely that anyone would be found alive from the mound of earth that flattened the house.
“We have recovered nine bodies so far and our rescue operation is on. We are trying our best but it is a terrible accident and it seems the number of casualties will go up,” Deputy Commissioner, Budgam, Mir Altaf, told The Hindu .
According to officials, the incident happened around 3 a.m.
Two families, comprising 11 and five members, were staying in the house when the accident happened.
“There were two houses in the area and one of them developed a crack. The members of that house moved to the adjoining house for safety,” said Showkat Ahmad, a family friend. “The house that everyone took shelter in was hit by the landslide and was immediately buried under tonnes of earth.”
The police, CRPF, SDRF and locals are engaged in rescue operation with two JCB machines, pick-axes and spades. With each passing hour, officers said hopes of finding anyone alive were diminishing. Incessant rain has caused floods in Srinagar and Pulwama district and triggered major landslides. The roads to Laddan village have been hit by numerous landslides.
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