It just took a single day of shower to trigger third flood threat of a year in Kashmir. The summer day downpour caught both government as well as its machinery off guard. With renewed flood danger making rounds in Valley, Bilal Bahadur captures the panic in pictures
As rains continue to lash valley, the swelling Jhelum created panic in South Kashmir’s Islamabad district late Wednesday night. Keeping the surging level of the river in view, the I&FC declared flood in the area.
By the time, a new day dawned, the Jhelum tributary, Vaishaw, went berserk in Kulgam damaging bridges and farmlands. The water body also held twelve members of a nomad family hostage at Chamgund village.
With each passing moment, the Jhelum was marching inside houses situated on riverbank in Islamabad. Bakhshi Abad, Dangerpora, Lal Chowk Khanbal were swiftly inundated forcing people to move to safer places.
With Jhelum spreading a wave of flood panic from South to Central Kashmir, the government apparently issued a “damage control” advisory: “Don’t panic. No flood threat. Only inundation.” But I&FC’s hourly flood updates defied the very claims of government.
Meanwhile at Sempora Pampore, people were on their toes, plugging breaches in riverbank. At a stone’s throw from this point, another breach occurred, which spilled water in Pampore town, triggering panic in people.
Schools in the low-lying areas of Srinagar and elsewhere were closed down. Amid panic, the weatherman said the worst is over: “The severe weather conditions have started to weaken and there is no need to panic.”
It is the third time that Jhelum has breached the danger mark in a year. Heavy rainfall has lashed many parts Kashmir region with weather officials predicting more downpour till June 28th.
