Heavy rains trigger floods, landslides in Jammu and Kashmir, killing schoolchild, injuring dozens

By Nusrat Sidiq

SRINAGAR, Jammu and Kashmir (AA) - Heavy rains pounded parts of Jammu and Kashmir along the Line of Control (LoC), unleashing flash floods and landslides that damaged infrastructure and killed a schoolchild, officials told Anadolu on Tuesday.

The hilly districts of Rajouri and Poonch saw rivers and streams swell, inundating low-lying areas, washing away vehicles, and damaging buildings.

Vikas Kundal, a senior official in Poonch, said a landslide struck a school, killing one child and injuring at least 23 others.

“We are taking every possible measure to safeguard lives and have advised people from low-lying areas to move to safe places in view of the risk of flash floods,” Kundal told Anadolu. “We have deployed teams of emergency and relief, including medical teams, to reach affected areas.”

In neighboring Rajouri, authorities ordered schools closed after rising water levels in the Dharhali and Saktoh rivers posed further danger.

A red alert has been issued in 12 districts -- Kathua, Samba, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Reasi, Jammu, Rajouri, Poonch, Baramulla, and Anantnag -- due to expected heavy rainfall and heightened risk of flash floods, officials said.

The Indian Meteorological Department in Srinagar had already issued an alert for July 21–24 warning of heavy rain with risks of flooding and landslides.

The region has increasingly seen erratic weather patterns in recent years, with intense heat waves and untimely showers amplifying climate-related disasters.

Ajaz Rasool, an environmental expert, told Anadolu that Kashmir “is no exception” to the global impacts of climate change.

“It is due to various stress factors including the unnecessary human activity on ecologically fragile zones which definitely has an adverse effect,” Rasool said.

“Now it is to time to act strategically to save our environment rather than waiting for disasters to happen,” Rasool cautioned.

This year also recorded the hottest June in the region since 1978.