Jammu, Aug. 18 -- Two separate incidents of landslides and flash floods triggered by torrential two-hour long downpours killed at least seven people and injured 16 others in Kathua district of Jammu & Kashmir, in what was the latest episode of a string of tragedies that have struck the hills since the beginning of this monsoon season. Sunday's incidents struck between 4am and 5.30am, when incessant rainfall brought down loose soil, boulders and mucky water cascading through villages, destroying houses and commercial establishments in Jodh Ghati and Janglote villages. Both villages are located about 15 km and 13 km from Kathua district headquarters. The rains also damaged a railway bridge over the Sahar Khad rivulet in Jasrota, washed away Dhanni-Bhakta road bridge and damaged a portion of the National Highway 44. Kathua SSP Shobhit Saxena said the deceased include five children, a woman, and a man. "We have mobilised rescue teams. I cannot say for sure if it was a cloudburst but heavy rains lashed the region that inundated low lying areas. Army, police, NDRF and SDRF teams have been deployed for relief and rescue operations," Saxena said. At first, four bodies were recovered Jodh Ghati around 9 am. Three more bodies, again in Jodh Ghati, were then recovered, around 11.30 am. The deceased were identified as Renu Devi, 39, her daughter Radhika, 9, residents of Bagra in Janglote, Surmu Din, 30, his sons Fanu 6 and Shedu 5, Tahu, 2 and Zulfan, 15, all residents of Jodh village. The Janglote police station was also inundated. Rajbagh police station station house officer, inspector Ajay Singh, said that a landslide hit Juthana Jodh area in Jodh Ghati between 3.30am and 4am. "A family of five including two women and three children was buried in it," Singh said. According to locals, the Sahar Khad rivulet and Ujh river were in spate due to heavy overnight rains in upper reaches, and caused widespread damage. "At least 96,000 cusecs of water were recorded in Ujh river on Sunday morning," a revenue official said, asking not to be named. Uchit Singhal, senior commercial divisional manager, Jammu railway division said: "Due to torrential rains, water level under bridge number 43 had crossed the danger mark in Sahar Khad and as a result we switched over to an adjoining single track bridge over Sahar Khad, (which is higher) for up traffic (to Jammu) and down traffic (from Jammu). There is detention of rail traffic and it has slowed down movement of trains." He said repair work was being carried out at the bridge. CM Omar Abdullah expressed grief over the loss of lives and announced an ex-gratia of Rs.2 lakh for each deceased and Rs.1 lakh for the injured. Lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha spoke to Union home minister Amit Shah and briefed him on the ongoing rescue and relief operations in rain-triggered landslides-affected areas of Kathua district....