After two days of relentless rainfall that had thrown life out of gear in the Kashmir Valley, the water level of the Jhelum River began to recede on Thursday, bringing a measure of relief to residents and authorities who had been on high alert since Wednesday.
According to latest details accessed by news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS), the Jhelum at Sangam in South Kashmir and Ram Munishi Bagh in Srinagar finally dipped below the danger mark after remaining above it for nearly 29hours. Officials said the level is steadily receding and is expected to fall below the flood declaration mark by Thursday night.
Despite this positive trend, authorities cautioned that the situation still demands vigilance. Several low-lying areas remain inundated, and breaches at vulnerable points along the embankments continue to pose risk. Emergency response teams remain deployed round-the-clock to monitor the situation.
Over the last 48 hours, South and Central Kashmir bore the brunt of the overflowing river, forcing preventive evacuations in several areas. Nearly Thousand people were shifted from vulnerable localities, while rescue operations were carried out by joint teams of police, SDRF, NDRF, and Army.
On Thursday morning, breaches in Jhelum’s embankments at Zonipora and Shalina in Budgam led to flooding in adjoining areas of Srinagar and Budgam districts. Divisional Commissioner (Div Com) Kashmir, Anshul Garg, immediately visited the affected regions along with IGP Kashmir and the Deputy Commissioners of Srinagar and Budgam to supervise the rescue and relief measures.
“Early this morning, breaches occurred at Zonipora in Budgam, causing flooding of nearby villages.
Fortunately, as a precautionary measure, we had evacuated nearly 9,000 people last night, which prevented any loss of life,” Div Com Garg told reporters. He added that weather conditions have significantly improved in South Kashmir, with most areas now experiencing clear skies.
The Div Com said that water levels at both Sangam and Ram Munshi Bagh are on a downward trend. “It is a reassuring sign, but our teams remain fully engaged on the ground to ensure the safety of residents,” he noted.
Relief and rescue teams, including personnel from SDRF, NDRF, police, and the revenue department, are actively working in waterlogged localities to provide food, shelter, and medical assistance. “Senior officials from divisional and district administrations are personally monitoring operations to ensure proper coordination and quick response,” Garg added.
Acknowledging the role of public cooperation, the Div Com said, “We are grateful to the people for their support. Continuous announcements are being made to keep everyone alert and informed.”
He also confirmed that evacuations had been completed in six villages of Budgam, while preventive measures were being carried out in Srinagar. People have been advised not to venture into flood-prone areas until the situation fully stabilizes.
Later in the day, Div Com Garg and Deputy Commissioner Budgam visited Shalina to oversee ongoing relief operations and reassured residents that the administration remains committed to extending all possible support until normalcy is restored.(KINS) Waseem Raja
