Flash floods, landslides as heavy rains, snowfall lash J-K; Schools shut in several districts
Jammu/Srinagar, Jun 22: Heavy rains lashed Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, triggering flash floods and landslides, with authorities forced to shut schools in several districts including Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban and evacuate people from low-lying areas, while the strategic Jammu-Srinagar national highway remained blocked for the second day leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded.
In Kashmir, the Jhelum crossed the danger mark at Sangam in Anantnag district and the water level was rising in other rivers also, officials said.
A high alert has been sounded in areas close to river Chenab and its tributaries, they said.
Snowfall in the higher reaches including the holy cave shrine of Amarnath has brought down the day temperature substantially, the officials said.
Police rescued 50 passengers travelling in ten vehicles which were trapped due to snowfall and heavy rains in the high-altitude area in Kishtwar district on Wednesday afternoon, officials said.
''Snowfall and heavy rains triggered flash-floods in Simthan top area following which 50 passengers including some women and children, were stranded. The police got the track cleared and after a lot of hard work rescued all the passengers, an official said.
The water level at Sangam in Anantnag district was measured at 21.60 ft, marginally above the 21-feet mark for flood declaration, they said.
Vaishov stream, which flows mainly through Kulgam district, was flowing dangerously above the flood alert mark. However, the water level has started receding since 10 am, the officials said.
A breach was reported in a temporary diversion along the banks of Vaishov stream as Chamgund in Kulgam, they said adding many areas of the district have been flooded.
Authorities have started moving people from low-lying areas to safer locations, they said.
The Doodhganga stream was also flowing close to flood alarm level at Barzulla in the heart of Srinagar's civil lines area.
The weatherman had forecast improvement in weather later in the day.
Schools in many parts of the valley were closed due to the heavy rains which resulted in waterlogging in low-lying areas.
Many houses in Bemina, Rambagh and Rajbagh areas of the city were affected due to water-logging.
A group of 14 trekkers was stranded near Tarser Lake in south Kashmir and a rescue team was rushed to the spot from Pahalgam.
The snowfall in the upper reaches and rains in the plains have sent the mercury nosediving and Srinagar witnessed its coldest June day in almost 50 years, according to available data.
Srinagar on Tuesday recorded a maximum temperature of 15.0 degrees Celsius, which was 14.2 degrees lower than normal for this time of the year.
An incident of house collapse was also reported from Ramban district, while five people trapped in flash floods in river Ans in Reasi district were rescued by the police, officials said.
The Doda district administration has declared high alert in several areas in the mountainous district.
"We have been forced to declare high alert in areas close to river Chenab and its tributaries, and also on slopes and slide-prone areas of Ramban and Doda districts," an official said.
The 270-kilometers Jammu-Srinagar national highway was closed for a second consecutive day on Wednesday due to over 30 landslides and mudslides triggered by the heavy rains in the Ramban-Udhampur sector, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded, officials said.
The traffic on Mughal Road, an alternative link connecting the twin districts of Poonch and Rajouri in the Jammu region with south Kashmir's Shopian district, was also suspended due to landslides en route, they said.
Besides Doda, the deputy commissioners of Ramban and Kishtwar districts have also ordered the closure of all educational institutions up to higher secondary level including private schools for the day, an official said.
"All schools across Ramban district, including higher secondary schools, shall remain closed today in view of the heavy rainfall and overflowing of nallahs and mudslides at several locations," Deputy Commissioner Ramban Mussarat Islam said in a tweet.
Officials said one kutcha house in Dachhan collapsed but all its occupants were safe.
"As a part of advisory in view of hostile weather conditions and reports submitted by tehsildars, I have directed CEO Kishtwar to close all educational institutions in District Kishtwar today. We will assess the situation later in the day for further decision," said District Development Commissioner Kishtwar Ashok Sharma.
"As of now, there is no report of any damage from any part of the district," the DDC said.
The deputy commissioners of these districts have issued advisories asking people to remain indoors in view of the flood-like situation developed in the mountainous belts.
According to a weather office forecast, heavy rain is predicted in Kishtwar district which may cause temporary disruption of air and surface traffic mainly on the national highway and hilly roads, besides land landslides and shooting stones in vulnerable spots of the highway, according to the advisory issued by the district administration.
"District police Kishtwar has established a help desk and people are advised to stay at home and not to venture out of their home unnecessarily," it said.
The district administrations have also issued helpline numbers in case of any emergency.
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Humanity trumps terror: Kashmiri guide saves lives of children of Chhattisgarh tourists
Raipur, Apr 24 (PTI): Risking his own life, a Kashmiri tourist guide saved the lives of children from a group of tourists from Chhattisgarh when terrorists struck in Pahalgam on Tuesday.
Nazakat Ahmad Shah (28) was acting as a guide to a group of 11, four couples and three children, from Manendragarh-Chirmiri-Bharatpur district in Chhattisgarh during their Kashmir trip.
Shah's own cousin was killed in the attack that claimed the lives of 26 persons, he told PTI over phone on Thursday.
Arvind Agrawal, one of the tourists, posted pictures of him and his daughter with Shah on his social media handle and wrote, "You saved our lives by risking your own, we will never be able to repay the debt of Nazakat Bhai." As per his Facebook profile, Agrawal is a member of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha- a youth wing of the BJP.
Besides the Agrawals, families of Kuldeep Sthapak, Shivansh Jain and Happy Wadhavan were part of the group.
Shah sells shawls in Chirmiri town of Chhattisgarh in winter, and therefore knew these families.
"They reached Jammu on April 17 and I received them and took them to Kashmir in two vehicles. I took them to Srinagar, Gulmarg, Sonmarg and in the last leg we decided to visit Pahalgam," he said.
"Pahalgam was to be the last venue as my village is close by, and I wanted to host them, because Kashmiris have a passion for hospitality," Shah said.
"We reached Baisran around 12:00 noon. My tourists were busy with pony rides and clicking pictures. Around 2 pm I told Lucky (Kuldeep) that we are getting late, so we should go. He replied we will go after clicking some more pictures. While we were talking, we heard gunshots and initially we thought it was the sound of firecrackers.
"Suddenly, we realized it was gunshots. There were thousands of tourists who were running here and there in panic," he said.
"My first concern was the safety of the tourist families. I took Lucky's kid and another child and laid down on the ground. The area was fenced so it was not easy to escape. I noticed a small opening and asked the families to move out through that opening. They asked me to save the children first. I slipped through it with the two kids, and ran towards Pahalgam town," he said.
After depositing the children in a safe place, he returned to the spot and escorted out the others safely. "Thanks to Allah, I took all our 11 guests safely to Pahalgam," Shah said.
Adil Hussain, the son of his maternal uncle, was killed in the terror attack but he could not attend his final rites as he decided to escort the tourists back, he said.
"I knew them (Kuldeep and others) for several years as earlier I used to accompany my father to Chirmiri to sell shawls. I wanted my guests saved even if I did not survive," said Shah, who has two daughters.
Like Agrawal, Sthapak also shared his and his family's pictures with Shah on social media, and hailed him profusely for saving their lives.
"A letter written from the heart to Nazakat Bhai...My brother, the passion and bravery with which you rescued us from there is still echoing in my ears. There was chaos, gunshots, screams and the shadow of death all around. No ordinary person can do that. The humanity you showed by putting your life at stake is beyond words. I will be grateful to you all my life. I can never forget this favor," he wrote in Hindi on his Facebook page.
Sthapak also said he was concerned about Shah's own safety. "People will debate about religion and caste, but who will take care of Nazakat Bhai, who presented the most beautiful example of humanity? The heart becomes restless thinking about this," he said.
Shah picked up his child, sat him on his shoulders and ran 14 km on dangerous hills, Sthapak said.
"Nazakat bhai, you not only saved my life that day, you kept humanity alive. I will never forget you for the rest of my life," he added.
Sthapak's wife is a BJP corporator in Chirmiri town.
नजाकत खान जैसे लोग इंसानियत की मिशाल हैं।
— Dr Monika Singh (@Dr_MonikaSingh_) April 24, 2025
पहलगाम आतंकी हमले में 28 लोगों की मौत हो गई. वहीं इस बीच हमले के दौरान अपनी बहादुरी से 11 लोगों की जान बचाने वाले नज़ाकत अहमद शाह ने आंखों देखी पूरी घटना बयां की है और साथ ही उन्होंने बताया कि कैसे उन्होंने लोगों की जान बचाई... pic.twitter.com/QXxyAmlfPG
