Couple swept away in flash floods in J-K's Udhampur; one body recovered

 A body has been recovered after a couple was swept away in a flash flood triggered by heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Thursday evening, officials said.

The incident occurred in Kaghote panchayat of the Ramnagar area after intense rains triggered a sudden flash flood, they said.

According to locals, the couple, identified as 58-year-old Baldev and 53-year-old Maya Devi, had gone to graze their cattle and were crossing a nallah when they were caught in the strong current and washed away.

Rescue teams were immediately pressed into service, and a victim's body was recovered. Efforts were on to trace the other person, officials said.

It wasn't immediately clear whether it was the husband or the wife whose body had been found.

Union Minister Jitendra Singh said he spoke to Udhampur Deputy Commissioner Minga Sherpa after receiving information about the incident.

"Just now spoke to DC Udhampur, Minga Sherpa, after receiving the news of a husband and wife couple named Baldev and Maya Devi getting swept away by heavy rainfall flash in Panchayat Kaghote of Ramnagar. The body of one of them has been recovered, while the rescue operation is going on. My sincere condolences with the bereaved family. My office is in constant touch," Singh said in a post on X.