by Maleeha Sofi
SRINAGAR: The two banks of the Jhelum in Srinagar turned into the city’s most crowded and anxious spaces on Wednesday night, as thousands of residents watched the river swell above the danger mark, a sight that revived terrifying memories of the devastating September 2014 floods.
Fear and panic coursed through the Valley as the river’s levels rose sharply, inundating low-lying neighbourhoods and forcing preventive evacuations. From Chanapora and Bemina to Padshahi Bagh, Kursoo, and Peerbagh, water seeped into homes and businesses, though not inundating them completely. Doodh Ganga nallah in Barzulla also swelled dangerously as floodwater from the Jhelum poured into it.
Telbal belt on the periphery of Srinagar was inundated during the day as the uphill cloudburst inundated the area by many feet.
Shopkeepers across Srinagar scrambled to move their goods to safer places, while families in vulnerable localities rushed to higher ground. Even the Smart City’s red bus fleet was driven out of its Athwajan depot in haste.
In South Kashmir, the surging tributaries proved particularly destructive. Vishow, the ferocious rivulet born at Kausarnag and flowing past Aharbal, ripped through hundreds of apple orchards in Kulgam and Pulwama. Its cousin, Toungri, too, was reported to be swelling with menace. Sandran in Anantnag wreaked havoc on the town and nearby localities, uprooting fruit trees and damaging fields. In parts of Pulwama district, entire stretches of apple plantations were washed away by floodwaters.
The official gauges confirmed the people’s worst fears. At 9 pm, the Jhelum at Sangam stood at a staggering 27.49 feet against the danger mark of 25 feet. At Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar, the level touched 21.67 feet, well above the flood mark of 21 feet, and was still rising.
Officials of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department acknowledged the gravity of the situation. “The levels at Ram Munshi Bagh are likely to cross further,” one officer said, cautioning about possible waterlogging in low-lying pockets but insisting there were no breaches so far. “The biggest advantage is that water is moving with high speed downstream, and preventing stagnation.” This, they said, is because there were not many rains in the north Kashmir belt, unlike South Kashmir, wherefrom the Jhelum originates.
Showkat Hussain, the Chief Engineer IFC, told Kashmir Life that people must not fear even if the gauge at Ram Munshi Bagh crosses 23. “Barring low-lying areas, it will be all right,” he said, asserting the levels will stabilise by midnight. However, he said the speed of the water, which was draining downstream, has gone slightly low.
Despite the optimism, the rising waters forced authorities to sound the alarm. Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Anshul Garg, said preventive evacuations had been initiated in Pulwama, Anantnag, Kulgam, and parts of Srinagar. “We request people to cooperate with our staff and move to safer locations. More than 300 relief shelters have been identified across districts and equipped with food, blankets, electricity, and safe drinking water,” he said.
As a precautionary step, the administration announced the closure of all educational institutions in the Valley on Thursday. “This has been done purely for the safety of students and staff,” Garg said.
The Divisional Commissioner assured that there was no shortage of essential commodities. “We have sufficient stocks of petrol, diesel, LPG, and rations. People must avoid panic buying. All health, electricity, and communication services remain functional, and helpline numbers have been widely circulated,” he said.
Officials also said that while rainfall had stopped across much of the Valley, and no major cloud activity was forecast, the coming hours were crucial. “The next six to seven hours are critical,” Garg warned. “The situation is under control, but vigilance is essential.”
Meanwhile, in Jammu division as well as Kashmir, authorities battled flood threats. National highways linking the Valley to the rest of the country, along with several hilly roads, were closed due to damage, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded near the Navyug Tunnel. Many of them were fruit-laden trucks, their contents at risk even before reaching markets outside Kashmir.
The IMD office in Srinagar offered a measure of relief, saying rains had largely stopped. “Just a patch of rainy clouds is hanging over Kulgam, bringing only light showers. No new cloud developments are visible on satellite images. Significant improvement is expected from tomorrow,” the IMD Kashmir director said.
Yet the mood in Srinagar, where residents stared grimly at the swirling waters under nightfall, remained heavy with apprehension. For many, the rising Jhelum did not just signify a natural event but reopened a wound from a disaster that scarred the Valley eleven years ago.
