Heavy rainfall triggers flash floods; classes are suspended, roads blocked

Srinagar:  Ghost of 2014 floods have returned to haunt Kashmir

Torrential rains in the valley have triggered flash floods in parts of Kupwara causing damages to buildings and roads. Moreover, the Sarbal area of Sonamarg in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district bore the brunt of an avalanche that hit on Monday.

Natural calamities compelled authorities to carry out rescue operations in affected areas. Schools in Kupwara were ordered closure amid heavy rains. Here are the top developments of the day:

As heavy rain triggered a flood-like situation in North Kashmir’s Kupwara district, Jammu and Kashmir Police carried out rescue operations in flood-affected areas.

The officials reported that the Jammu-Srinagar national highway, which is the sole all-weather route connecting Kashmir with the rest of India, was shut down on Monday due to several landslides caused by heavy rainfall that affected large areas of Jammu and Kashmir during the night. The highway was blocked by landslides at Mehar, Gangroo, Mom Passi, and Kishtwari Pather in Ramban district.

According to the officials, The ongoing rainfall hinders the efforts to clear the debris and restore the highway. They advised travelers to refrain from using the highway until the debris is completely removed.

Furthermore, the Mughal road, which serves as an alternative route connecting the Poonch and Rajouri districts in Jammu with the Shopian district in south Kashmir, has been closed for the past three days due to snowfall in Peer Ki Gali and the surrounding areas, as reported by the officials.

Amid torrential rains in other parts of the valley, an avalanche hit the Sarbal area of Sonamarg, located in the Ganderbal district of central Kashmir today. No casualties or financial losses were reported, as the avalanche occurred on the forest side of the region, causing no damage, according to officials.

Visuals show Project Beacon, a division of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), engaged in a snow-clearing operation at the affected site.

In a separate incident the previous day, a team from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) successfully rescued a total of 35 vehicles that were trapped in the snow at Razdan Top, situated on the Bandipora-Gurez road in Jammu and Kashmir. BRO officials said that the vehicles were stranded due to adverse weather conditions, which included snowfall and snowstorms.

Classes in schools across Kupwara were suspended today due to heavy rainfall. The decision was made by authorities as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students.

An official said, “Given inclement weather and an avalanche warning issued by the Jammu and Kashmir State Disaster Management Authority (JKSDMA), class work in all schools across the district is suspended on April 29 as a precautionary measure for the safety of students.”

Despite the suspension of classes, teaching and non-teaching staff were instructed to attend to their duties to monitor the situation and safeguard the assets of their respective schools.

In response to the persistent rainfall, officials in Kishtwar temporarily shut down educational institutions throughout the district. The decision to halt classes for the day was made with the primary goal of ensuring the protection and welfare of students and faculty members.

According to an official around 8-10 houses were damaged due to heavy rain in the Mandi Area of Poonch. SDM Ashfaq Hussain said, “8-10 houses were damaged in heavy rainfall. Some houses are fully damaged and some are partially damaged. A few roads have also been damaged. A relief amount will be given to the affected as per the rules. We are providing tents to the affected families. We have identified vulnerable spots and places of alternate accommodation in the area.”

Continuous rainfall over the past two days has caused water levels in various water bodies throughout Kashmir to increase. Officials have issued a danger warning specifically for Pohru Nallah in Kupwara due to the rising water levels.

However, the water level in other water bodies, including the Jhelum River, is still below the alert mark. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation to ensure the safety of the residents in the affected areas.

India Meteorological Department today issued an orange alert for Jammu and Kashmir predicting heavy rains (64.5-115.5 mm). The weather department also predicted isolated hailstorms, thunderstorms, and lightning with gusty winds (40-50 kmph) over neighboring states including Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand on April 29.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Kashmir Monitor staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)