Remembering the 2014 Floods
The floods of September 2014 brought unprecedented devastation to Jammu and Kashmir, especially the Kashmir Valley. Relentless rains swelled the Jhelum beyond control, drowning entire localities. In Srinagar, homes, hospitals, schools, and markets disappeared beneath the flood, leaving families stranded on rooftops, waiting for rescue. Lakhs of people were cut off – no food, no water, no communication. Countless lives, memories, and livelihoods were washed away in a single blow. The tragedy not only shattered the physical landscape but also left deep emotional scars, remembered as one of the darkest chapters in the region’s history.
In the devastating floods of 2014, we along with four families—were left stranded in the staff quarters of Kashmir Government Polytechnic College, Gogjibagh, Srinagar. Surrounded by rising waters and uncertainty, we waited helplessly for someone to come to our rescue. It was a time of fear, patience, and prayer: an unforgettable lesson of both human vulnerability and the strength of hope in the face of disaster. Those hours of helplessness, prayers, and silent courage will forever remain etched in our hearts as a painful memory of survival and faith.
A courageous rescue team from Barzalla and Sumbal arrived amid the chaos. Their effort was nothing short of heroic. They followed a disciplined, compassionate approach—rescuing my late, then 4 year-old daughter first, who was suffering from cerebral palsy, followed by other children, then women, and finally the men of 4 families.
To help us cross a dangerous 10-foot stretch of floodwater between buildings, they tied each of us—children, women and men—with strong ropes and safely guided us across, making the top floor of students’ hostel as a means to make us safely reach to the road along bund side. It was a terrifying yet extraordinary moment. We truly felt the presence of Allah’s mercy working through those brave rescuers.
After the initial rescue, we were relocated to Tengpora, Srinagar using a load carrier. During this trying time, a gentleman’s family in Tengpora opened their home and hearts to us. They welcomed us like honored guests, offering food, shelter, fresh bedding and blankets and above all an emotional support. They even provided fresh cow milk for my daughter, fully aware of her medical needs. For the women and girls whose clothes had been soaked, they arranged fresh clothing—restoring comfort and dignity when it was needed most. We will never forget their kind hearted, sympathatic and affectionate approach, throughout our life time. But by early morning the next day, floodwaters surrounded us once again. This time, Army boat reached us and evacuated everyone to Tengpora bridge again—a relatively safe spot due to its height.
What makes this memory even more special is the kindness shown by a nomadic family at Tengpora bridge the following morning. When it was time to serve milk to my ailing daughter, this humble family came forward and helped us boil the milk on their gas chulha (stove). Their generosity and spirit of service in the midst of disaster were nothing short of extraordinary, and deserve the highest appreciation.
I vividly remember a moment of pure innocence amidst all this hardship which put me in tears—when my daughter received food distributed by one of the gentlemen, she turned to me with a bright smile and said:
“Baba, mujay lottery nikal gayee! Mujay do bar tehri mil gayee!”
“Baba, I won the lottery! I got food twice!”
Her joy, so simple and sincere, reminded me that gratitude doesn’t depend on how much we have, but how deeply we feel it.
This experience was not just about surviving a natural disaster—it was about witnessing the best of humanity. In the darkest of hours, we saw courage, compassion, selflessness, and above all, the mercy of Allah shining through the hearts and hands of ordinary people.
Ali Mohammad Khan, HOD, Electronics and Communication Engg., Kashmir Govt Polytechnic College, Gogjibagh, Srinagar.
