Flash floods hit Kashmir’s Budgam after heavy rains VIDEO

Torrential rains have triggered flash floods in parts of central Kashmir’s Budgam district, sweeping away a man and causing extensive damage to markets, residential areas and commercial establishments.

The flooding affected the Beerwah and Khag areas on Wednesday (July 22), with rising waters from the Sukhnag Nallah inundating shops and residential areas, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

 Rescue and relief operations were launched by the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Jammu and Kashmir Police and other security agencies.

A Civil Defence warden said teams had been placed on alert after a Red Alert was issued for Kashmir and were deployed to assist residents affected by the flooding.

“We were alerted about the Red Alert issued for Kashmir and directed to report for duty. Our entire Civil Defence contingent, including rescue, medical and transport teams, has been on duty since yesterday,” the warden told ANI.

He said water levels in the Sukhnag Nallah rose sharply during the afternoon after fluctuating until around 2 pm, leaving shopkeepers with limited time to protect their goods.

Rescue teams attempted to recover items from flooded shops, but their efforts were disrupted after a building collapsed. The warden said the damage to businesses was significant, with losses estimated in crores.

Flooding was also reported in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua district, where residents raised concerns over repeated waterlogging and damage to livelihoods and crops.

Flash floods washed away sections of the Old Samba-Kathua Road at Sahar Khad, disrupting traffic and cutting off access to several nearby villages.

Residents said the situation had become critical, with some families struggling to access food and drinking water. They also called for permanent measures to prevent repeated flooding.

Meanwhile, heavy rainfall in Rajouri district since early Tuesday (July 21) prompted local authorities and police to issue advisories urging residents to remain cautious due to the risk of rising river levels, flash floods, landslides and waterlogging.

By Aghakazim Guliyev