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Srinagar, June 22: At least 52 sheep, eight horses and five cows have died due to cloud burst and inclement weather in the upper forest areas in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district, officials said.

District sheep officer Budgam, Dr Asrhraf said that as per initial details in Dishkhall, Durian, Lathermand, Ayud, Koreg, and other upper reaches of Budgam district at least 52 sheep have died from last two days due to cloudburst and inclement weather.

The death toll is likely to increase with time as the areas have no mobile accessibility, while these nomad families are grazing the animals, he said, adding that a massive rescue operation is underway in these areas.

“Our teams are on job at all the places and are providing rescue and necessary things” he said over phone.

The officer has appealed to all the shepherds who are grazing their cattle in upper reaches of Budgam that keeping the weather circumstances under consideration they should come to plain areas till weather gets cleared.

Sources said that eight horses and five cows have also died in the upper reaches of the district. However, the official confirmation was awaited as the phone of the district animal husbandry officer was switched off. kdc