2 cloudbursts wash away houses, crops in Warwan villages

Anantnag/ Banihal, Aug 26: Amidst heavy rains across J&K, a cloudburst in Gumri village of Warwan Valley in Kishtwar flooded Shilancer Nallah in Margi village, washing away houses, crops, and livestock.

The residents of over 300 households in the village await rescue amidst incessant rainfall and limited connectivity.

Eyewitness accounts from the village described the first cloudburst taking place at 5 pm on Tuesday, resulting in immediate swelling of Shilancer, a tributary of Lidder stream.

Muhammad Shafi, a resident of the village, while speaking to Greater Kashmir said his family of nine members ran out of their home in Margi village to a higher ground, while the swollen waters washed away crops and livestock.

“Water entered many houses and some houses located on the bank of Shilancer were washed away completely,” he said.

Later, Shafi said, around 7:15 pm another cloudburst damaged the bridge connecting Aafti to Gumri.

He said water had entered Jama Masjid Hanfia, and nearly 60 houses were under water.

He appealed to the administration to send rescue teams to the villages.

“Our children are under tarpaulin, we cannot go to our homes. The weather is cold and rains are incessant. And we have not been able to get in touch with anyone,” he said.

Shafi said the entire village is in a disaster situation. “Save our children,” he appealed.

Meanwhile, reports of damage to residential houses were also reported from Margi village in Warwan after flash floods triggered by a cloudburst on Tuesday evening.

Muhammad Sultan, a local teacher of Margi, about 13 km from Warwan tehsil headquarters told Greater Kashmir over phone that a cloudburst occurred in the upper reaches of Shilansar Nallah, resulting in a massive flash flood.

Panic stricken residents rushed towards safer places to save their lives.

He said the incident took place at around 5 pm on Tuesday, following the Asar prayers.

“At around 3 pm, a low-intensity flow of water and debris had come down towards the village and the in-charge officer of Margi Police Post, Mohammadpur Sadiq had immediately pressed a JCB into service to clear the road. However, soon after, a heavy flash flood struck the village, forcing people to flee towards higher reaches,” he said.

According to Sultan, hundreds of residents spent the night under tarpaulins along the road in heavy rain, as continuous downpour and darkness prevented assessment of the full scale of destruction.

“So far, there are no reports of loss of human life, but residential houses have suffered damage, and there are fears of livestock casualties,” he said.

Meanwhile, reports suggest that several bridges connecting the Basmeena and Ghumri areas of Warwan tehsil have also been washed away.