Overnight rain triggers flash floods in J&K's Rajouri, hundreds evacuated
Flash floods triggered by incessant overnight rain inundated parts of Rajouri town in Jammu and Kashmir early on Sunday, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate
Flash floods triggered by incessant overnight rain inundated parts of Rajouri town in Jammu and Kashmir early on Sunday, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate as overflowing rivers submerged low-lying areas, including the new bus stand, officials said. Dozens of vehicles were swept away or submerged after rivers breached their banks, causing widespread disruption. Rescue and relief teams, assisted by the local administration, launched evacuation operations while officials assessed the extent of the damage. Read Full Story The flooding came amid a weather advisory forecasting moderate to heavy rainfall across Jammu and Kashmir till July 23. Rajouri district witnessed continuous rainfall from Saturday evening, followed by intense overnight showers that caused rivers and streams to overflow.
Officials said all major rivers in the district, including the Darhali, Khandli, Suktoh and Jamola, were in spate, with most flowing close to or above the danger mark, leading to flooding in several low-lying localities. The Darhali River breached a flood protection wall near Bela Colony, sending floodwaters into the new bus stand where dozens of vehicles were either washed away or left submerged. The slum settlement near Abdullah Bridge was among the worst-hit areas, with more than 50 families forced to leave their homes after floodwaters entered the locality. Floodwaters also inundated the area near Tariq Bridge, prompting police and emergency personnel to respond to multiple distress calls and assist residents in moving to safer locations away from riverbanks.
"Our teams are responding to almost every SOS call. At this stage, our priority is to prevent any loss of life. While there has been significant damage to property, the extent of the losses will be assessed once the floodwaters recede," a police official said. Police teams continued patrolling vulnerable areas, making public announcements and urging residents living along riverbanks and in low-lying areas to evacuate immediately as the flood threat persisted. The district administration also issued an advisory asking people to remain vigilant, while police established control rooms to coordinate rescue efforts and assist affected residents. Rajouri MLA Iftkhar Ahmad said the flash floods had caused extensive damage to public and private property.
He cut short his scheduled participation in his party's protest demanding the restoration of statehood outside Lok Bhavan in Jammu and returned to Rajouri to oversee the relief efforts. "I have abandoned my party programme to stand with my people, as the flash floods have caused extensive damage to public and private property," Ahmad said, urging the district administration to immediately begin relief and rehabilitation measures for affected families. The flash floods left large parts of Rajouri's low-lying areas inundated, damaged homes, public infrastructure and vehicles, and triggered a large-scale evacuation as authorities worked to ensure there was no loss of life. Ends
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