Heavy rain sparks flood fears in Kashmir valley

Heavy rainfall in Kashmir has led to a rise in water levels in rivers and streams, creating a “flood-like situation” in the Valley. Authorities in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Wednesday declared a flood after the Jhelum river crossed the danger mark.

As of Wednesday evening, officials said that while the water level was flowing above the flood declaration mark at the Sangam gauge in south Kashmir and at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar, the water level had started to recede at Sangam.

At the Sangam gauge, where the flood declaration level is 21 feet, the water level on Wednesday reached 23.99 feet. During the devastating 2014 floods, this gauge had recorded a level of 34.7 feet.

A senior Meteorological Department official told The Tribune that around 90–100 mm of rain in south Kashmir between Tuesday morning and Wednesday morning caused the rise in the Jhelum’s water level. “The positive thing is that the rainfall has begun to slow down. Also, the weather is expected to remain dry over the next few days,” the official said, adding that authorities are continuously monitoring the situation.

Officials from the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department said they are closely monitoring the situation and have been rescuing people from low-lying areas wherever necessary.

Following the heavy downpour, several areas in Kashmir witnessed waterlogging, particularly in low-lying regions. On Wednesday, Srinagar Police said teams had been deployed across the city to respond to rain-related challenges, especially to assist stranded civilians in waterlogged areas. Police rescued several people from homes inundated by floodwaters.

Similar rescue efforts took place in Anantnag district, where continuous rainfall caused waterlogging in multiple areas. Police carried out a swift and coordinated evacuation operation to rescue nomadic families residing in flood-prone zones of the district.

In response to the evolving situation, Minister for Jal Shakti and Forest, Javed Ahmed Rana, chaired a high-level meeting to review flood preparedness and the emergency response mechanism across Jammu and Kashmir.

A government spokesperson said that Rana directed officers to maintain close surveillance on vulnerable locations, ensure round-the-clock communication, and activate public announcement systems to provide timely alerts.

Officials said that 24/7 control rooms have been activated to monitor gauge stations and issue early warnings. The department also confirmed the availability of adequate flood mitigation supplies and essential commodities in designated depots.