Flash floods hit Rajouri town after continuous overnight rainfall, forcing hundreds of residents to leave their homes and shift to safer places as flood waters entered several houses, officials said. Dozens of movable assets, including vehicles, were swept away or submerged after rivers and streams suddenly swelled due to the flash floods.
Rescue and relief teams were quickly dispatched and are engaged in evacuating people to safer locations. Teams from the administration are assessing the damage caused by the floods, while Congress legislator Iftikhar Ahmad reported heavy damage to public and private infrastructure.
Earlier on Friday, the weather monitoring agency in the union territory had warned of moderate to heavy downpour in the hilly regions from July 18 after temperatures in the region climbed to 36 degrees.
All the rivers of Rajouri, including Darhali, Khandli, Suktoh and Jamola, got flooded, with most of them flowing close to or even above the danger mark, leading to submergence of many low-lying areas, officials said.
“Our teams are responding to almost every SOS call. At this stage, our priority is to prevent any loss of life. While extensive damage to property has been reported from several parts of Rajouri district, the extent of the losses will be assessed once the floodwaters recede,” a police official said.
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