Examiner News Desk | Srinagar:
Heavy localised downpours and multiple cloudbursts battered several parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, triggering flash floods that inundated homes, damaged roads, washed away crops and disrupted normal life across the Union Territory. A woman was swept away by floodwaters as a series of weather-related emergencies unfolded from south Kashmir’s Pahalgam to north Kashmir’s Lolab Valley.
After a bright start to the day, towering rain clouds developed over the Valley by evening, unleashing intense rainfall, hailstorms and cloudbursts within a short span.
One of the worst-hit areas was Hamli Warnow village in Kupwara’s Lolab Valley, where a cloudburst accompanied by a severe hailstorm sent torrents of water, mud and slush through residential areas. Several houses were damaged, while orchards and standing crops suffered extensive losses.
Shortly afterwards, another cloudburst struck the Batkoot area in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in Anantnag district, triggering flash floods and causing panic among residents and tourists.
The Wardbal Nallah, Overa Nallah and other tributaries of the Lidder River swelled rapidly, causing the river to turn turbulent as water levels rose sharply. Officials said the sudden surge damaged a bridge at Langnai-Batkoot, forcing authorities to suspend vehicular movement.
Flooding also blocked the Bijbehara-Pahalgam Road at Overa, prompting authorities to advise commuters and tourists to avoid the route until restoration work is completed.
Weather experts said water levels in the Sheshnag Nallah and streams originating from the Aru Valley remained largely stable, indicating that the sudden rise in the Lidder River was caused by an exceptionally intense and highly localised cloudburst over the Batkoot-Overa catchment, which generated massive runoff within a short period.
Another cloudburst hit Arin Dardpora village in Bandipora district, washing away roads, inundating agricultural fields and flooding several houses.
Earlier in the day, an intense localised downpour, which meteorologists clarified was not a cloudburst, triggered flash floods in Badrhama village of Shopian district. Floodwaters entered several homes within minutes, forcing families to move to safer locations as water levels rose rapidly. No casualties were reported from the area.
District administrations and emergency response teams were deployed across the affected districts to assess damage, restore connectivity and coordinate relief and rescue operations.
In Rajouri district, heavy rainfall caused rivers and streams to swell, prompting the administration to issue a red alert and urge residents to stay away from water bodies and low-lying areas.
Strong gusty winds also caused damage in Bakura village of Ganderbal district, where the roof of a house was blown away and an electricity pole was damaged.
Intense rainfall also lashed Srinagar and several other parts of the Kashmir Valley during the evening.
Late in the evening, fresh weather-related incidents were reported from Kishtwar district, where a cloudburst triggered flash floods. Another flash flood occurred in Haripora in Kangan after the Uprash Nallah overflowed due to heavy runoff from adjoining forest areas.
Monday’s incidents add to a series of weather-related disasters that have repeatedly affected Jammu and Kashmir during the ongoing monsoon season. Flash floods and landslides in Poonch and Rajouri on July 19 claimed more than 25 lives, while earlier cloudbursts caused widespread damage to roads, houses, agricultural land and livestock in Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban districts. Several parts of south Kashmir have also witnessed repeated flash floods over the past month.
The Meteorological Centre Srinagar has forecast intermittent rain and thundershowers across Jammu and Kashmir until August 7, with rainfall expected to remain largely localised rather than widespread.
Director of the Meteorological Centre, Mukhtar Ahmad, said parts of the Jammu division could witness intense showers over the coming days. The department has forecast light to moderate rain and thundershowers at many places through Tuesday, followed by scattered showers until August 7.
The MeT Department has warned that brief but intense spells of rainfall could trigger flash floods, landslides, mudslides, shooting stones and rockfalls, particularly in vulnerable areas of the Jammu division and the upper reaches of Kashmir.
Authorities have advised people to avoid rivers, streams, nallahs and landslide-prone areas and to strictly follow advisories issued by the local administration, as intense cloudbursts and short-duration heavy rainfall remain a recurring feature of the monsoon season in the region.
