SRINAGAR, Sep 3: Authorities in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday issued a flood alert after the Jhelum river crossed the danger mark at Sangam in Anantnag and Pampore, following two days of incessant rainfall that left at least two people dead, dozens stranded, and major highways closed.
Officials said the water level at Sangam breached the critical threshold of 25 feet, while at Pampore the river flowed above the danger mark, raising fears of flooding in several low-lying areas. In Srinagar city, the river level at Ram Munshibagh was nearing the alert mark of 18 feet.
The rains in Jammu have created a flood-like situation since Tuesday evening, with the administration sounding a flood alert and advising people against venturing close to any water bodies.
Water gauges in the region are rising, and will increase if rainfall continues, according to the Irrigation and Flood Control Department. “All the concerned authorities are requested to remain alert and take necessary measures…All officers assigned flood duties must immediately report to their posts,” the department said in a post on X.
Heavy rains have triggered flooding in south Kashmir districts, including Pulwama, Shopian, and Kulgam. Police and disaster management teams have launched rescue operations, while emergency helplines have been activated across vulnerable areas.
In Rajouri’s Sunderbani, a woman and her daughter were killed when their house collapsed after heavy downpour. In Akhnoor, at least 40 people were trapped in Garkhal village after the Chenab river swelled four feet above the evacuation level. SDRF and police teams have been rushed to evacuate them. In another incident, an old house in Kali Jhani Mohalla of Pacca Danga area collapse, with three persons trapped inside the house being evacuated, PTI reported.
Following the incident, local MLA Yudhvir Sethi, who was supervising the rescue operations, directed the Deputy Commissioner to dismantle all old and unsafe houses in the area.
Anantnag police also rescued 25 nomadic families stranded under a bridge after a sudden rise in Lidder Nalla, while in Kulgam, five families were shifted to safety from Brazloo village after the Vaishov Nalla overflowed.
Connectivity across the region has been severely hit, with several key routes being closed. The all-weather Srinagar-Jammu National Highway remained closed for the second straight day due to multiple landslides between Udhampur and Banihal. The Mughal Road, Jammu-Srinagar-Leh highway, and Jammu-Kishtwar highway have also been shut.
Schools and colleges across the Valley and parts of Jammu region were closed on Wednesday, with the Kashmir University and other educational institutions postponing examinations which had been scheduled.
The Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrimage from Katra remains suspended for the ninth consecutive day, after the shrine town recorded 200 mm of rainfall—the highest in Jammu region.
