Severe Flooding in Jammu and Kashmir Causes Widespread Destruction

Devastating Floods Hit Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu, July 20: The recent floods in the Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir have resulted in catastrophic loss of life and property. Reports emerging on Monday reveal harrowing accounts of human suffering and the collapse of infrastructure, with many residents narrowly escaping death.

On Sunday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha assessed the situation, while Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened a meeting with senior officials in Jammu, urging all departments to mobilize resources to assist affected families.

After arriving in Jammu, Abdullah received updates every half hour regarding the evolving crisis and reached out to both officials and civilians to provide reassurance during these trying times.

As a result of the floods, ten fatalities have been confirmed, with eight individuals reported missing, feared dead under debris. Flash floods, triggered by multiple cloudbursts, swept through Rajouri and Poonch early Sunday, washing away at least 20 vehicles and damaging nearly 40 others.

In Poonch's Surankote area, at least 47 houses and various structures were damaged, while numerous shops in Rajouri also suffered destruction.

Rescue operations on Sunday managed to save around 45 individuals trapped by the floods in Jammu, Rajouri, and Poonch. The floods also caused significant damage to electricity infrastructure, disrupting power supply in several regions.

Official reports indicate that 15 individuals were either swept away or buried under debris in Surankote due to the flash floods. By evening, the Army, Police, and SDRF, aided by locals, had recovered eight bodies, while eight others remain unaccounted for. Three individuals sustained injuries and were transported to the hospital.

In Surankote, a residential house was completely washed away, leaving eight family members missing. Three bodies have been recovered, but five remain trapped under rubble.

Another house in Sangla village was also lost to the floods, with one body retrieved and searches ongoing for three missing persons. Additionally, a villager was swept away in Sanglani, with their body later recovered.

A tragic incident occurred in the Haveli area of Poonch, where a woman named Nazia Kouser lost her life due to a collapsed Kucha house, while her husband sustained severe injuries.

Rescue teams, including civil and police administration, Army, locals, and SDRF, are actively working to locate missing individuals. Over 30 people were rescued from riverside areas, and residents near water bodies have been advised to remain vigilant as forecasts predict further heavy rainfall and flash floods.

In Rajouri, a devastating flash flood caused by a cloudburst resulted in significant destruction, claiming a woman's life and leaving a daily-wage worker from the Jal Shakti Department missing.

The flood wreaked havoc along the Thannamandi River, sweeping away approximately two dozen vehicles and damaging around 40 others at the Bus Stand near Bela Colony, along with extensive damage to residential properties, shops, and agricultural land.

The floods struck Rajouri town around 2:45 a.m. on Sunday, following heavy rainfall in Thannamandi, Darhal, and surrounding hilly areas. The sudden surge in water levels inundated several low-lying areas, disrupting daily life.

In response, the district administration, alongside the Army, SDRF, Police, and Civil Defence, initiated extensive rescue and relief operations in the affected regions.

Officials are currently conducting a thorough assessment of the damages, with all relevant departments compiling detailed reports. The most severely impacted area appears to be Bela Colony, where floodwaters breached protective barriers, flooding the New Bela Bus Stand and nearby residential areas. Approximately 20 vehicles parked at the bus stand were swept away, while nearly 40 others were severely damaged.

Numerous commercial establishments and workshops behind Bela Colony were completely destroyed. Eyewitnesses described this flood as one of the worst in recent decades, with vehicles being carried away within moments by the rushing waters. They criticized past administrations for allowing the construction of a bus stand and shopping complex on the riverbank, which they believe wasted public funds.

Many locals expressed concerns over encroachments along the riverbank, alleging that influential individuals built shops with the complicity of local officials.

The flood also devastated slum areas near Abdullah Bridge and Tariq Bridge, displacing over 50 families. Tragically, a woman named Pinky Devi lost her life in the flood, with her body later recovered by rescue teams.

In addition to the loss of life, many families have lost livestock, personal belongings, and their savings, leaving them with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Stories of bravery from Army soldiers, NDRF, SDRF, J&K Police, and local civilians continue to emerge as rain persists across Jammu and the Valley.