Srinagar, Sep 4: A breach in River Jhelum at Zinpora and Shalina Pampore on Thursday inundated several localities in Pulwama and Budgam districts, with floodwaters submerging large swathes of agricultural land and residential areas. Officials warned that more habitations may be affected if the flow continues through the night.
Reports said the breach caused water to spill into Taingun and Sumerbugh villages, besides affecting parts of Kanihama, Shalina and the Lasjan Bypass. By late evening, authorities said water was expected to enter Lasjan and Soiteng localities, raising concerns of further damage.
The inundation has forced locals to shift to safer locations, with people moving livestock and belongings out of vulnerable homes. Locals recalled the devastation of 2014 and expressed fear that the breach could intensify if not addressed promptly.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Ansul Garg, accompanied by Deputy Commissioner Budgam, Inspector General of Police Kashmir Zone, and SSP Srinagar, visited the affected areas to take stock of the ground situation. The officials interacted with locals and directed concerned departments to remain alert and mobilise resources for possible evacuation.
Engineers from the Irrigation and Flood Control Department have been deputed to the spot to plug the breach, but officials said the task was complicated by the high volume of water.
People in the affected belts said timely measures were critical to prevent the floodwaters from reaching more habitations. “The government must move fast. Once the waters enter Lasjan and Soiteng, thousands of families will be affected,” said a local from Lasjan.
Eyewitnesses told the news agency Kashmir News Trust that hundreds of families in adjoining villages began moving out with whatever they could carry: children, livestock, bedding, and kitchen essentials, as soon as water started entering localities.
In Taingun and Sumerbugh, villagers were seen guiding cattle and sheep towards higher ground while others loaded household items onto tractors and small trucks.
For women and children, the uncertainty has been hard. “We had just finished rebuilding our home after years of struggle. If the water comes again, I don’t know if we will ever recover,” said Fatima, a resident of Kanihama, while carrying bundles of clothes.
“Our leaders talk of flood management every year, but when the rains come, we are still left alone. If the government had strengthened the embankments after 2014, this breach would not have happened,” said a schoolteacher from Lasjan.
As night fell, fear hung heavy over the areas along the Jhelum. For locals of Lasjan and Soiteng, the hope was simple: that this time the water would recede before repeating the horror of eleven years ago. [KNT]
