Heavy rains trigger massive flash floods in Beerwah and Khag areas of Kashmir's Budgam district
Budgam, July 22
Rescue operations were launched in Central Kashmir's Budgam district after torrential rains triggered massive flash floods in Beerwah and Khag areas, sweeping away a man and causing extensive damage to markets and residential areas.
The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), police personnel and other security forces were deployed to carry out rescue and relief operations in the affected areas.
A civil defence warden on Wednesday said that teams were alerted following the Red Alert issued for Kashmir and had been on duty since Monday.
"We were alerted about the 'Red Alert' issued for Kashmir and directed to report for duty. Our entire Civil Defence contingent, including rescue, medical, and transport teams, has been on duty since yesterday," the warden told ANI.
"Today, we learned that the water level in the Sukhnag Nallah was rising rapidly. Until 2:00 PM, the water level fluctuated, but after that it surged significantly. Consequently, the shopkeepers were unable to retrieve their merchandise," he added.
Speaking to ANI, the civil defence warden said rescue teams attempted to save goods from affected shops, but a sudden building collapse hampered the efforts.
"We made a concerted effort to salvage the goods, but the sudden collapse of the building prevented us from recovering much of the stock. The financial loss involved here runs into crores," he added.
Meanwhile, Residents in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday expressed distress over waterlogging and flooding in the area, claiming that repeated flooding has damaged their resources and put crops at risk.
Stretches of the Old Samba-Kathua Road have been washed away at Sahar Khad following flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall. Traffic remains suspended, cutting off connectivity to nearby villages.
A resident, Md Ali, said the situation had become critical and people were struggling to arrange necessities like food and water."The situation is dire; the conditions have devastated us. We are in great distress and have no other recourse. We have invested everything here, and our resources are exhausted. Our people are starving, and we have to provide them with food and water," he said.
Pointing towards the rising water levels in the area, Ali said, "Just look at the water levels here--there is so much water. Water flooded the area last time too, but the government did nothing to resolve the issue; they just dumped some soil, which washed away."He added, "Now, there is a danger looming below where the crops are; everything down there could be destroyed."
Another resident said that an existing water management structure had failed and was not repaired, leading to recurring problems.
"A structure was built for water management, but it failed and wasn't repaired. A proper embankment or barrier needs to be constructed here. It was like this last year too; the water washed everything away. Many villages are affected; everyone is in distress," the resident said.
Meanwhile, heavy rainfall lashed Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district also from early Tuesday morning, prompting the district administration and Rajouri Police to issue advisories asking residents to remain alert amid apprehensions of a rise in river water levels and the risk of flash floods, landslides and waterlogging.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I feel so sorry for the shopkeepers who lost everything in a matter of hours. The article says crores of damage. And the building collapse made it worse for rescue teams. But why is this happening every year? Last year in Kathua same story. The administration dumps some soil and calls it a solution. We need proper drainage, flood barriers, and early warning systems in vulnerable areas. Our farmers and small traders can't keep bearing this burden.
I studied in Srinagar and have seen how quickly Sukhnag Nallah can swell. The civil defence warden's description is spot-on. Water level fluctuating till 2pm then surging—that's typical flash flood behaviour. My heart goes out to the people of Beerwah and Khag. The man who got swept away, I hope he's found safe. God help these people. And the Kathua residents saying "our people are starving" is just painful to read. Authorities need to act NOW, not just give statements.
Respect to the civil defence, SDRF, and police teams working in these dangerous conditions. Building collapses, rising waters, and they're still trying to save property and lives. But I have to say, it's disappointing that despite red alerts, we see the same story every monsoon. The failed water management structure in Kathua that wasn't repaired is a classic case of negligence. We need accountability, not just rescue operations after the damage is done.
This is why climate change adaptation is so critical for India. Kashmir and Jammu regions are getting more extreme rainfall events. The old Samba-Kathua road being washed away is cutting off villages—this affects daily life, medical access, everything. I hope the administration focuses on long-term resilience for these communities, not just temporary fixes. The residents are right to be angry. How many times must they lose everything before real action is taken? 🤔
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