Cloudbursts, flash floods batter J&K; woman killed, hundreds evacuated

Jammu-Srinagar highway shut; Flash flood-damaged Rajouri DC office declared unsafe, shifted to new location

04/08/2026

SRINAGAR/JAMMU, Aug 3: A series of cloudbursts and intense rainfall wreaked havoc across several parts of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday, leaving one woman dead, damaging roads, bridges and other infrastructure, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of people and prompting the closure of the strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway as authorities sounded a flood alert in vulnerable areas.
A 52-year-old woman, Naseema Begum, lost her life after she was swept away in a flash flood triggered by a cloudburst while attempting to cross a culvert over a swollen stream in the Lolab area of Kupwara district. Her body was later recovered downstream near Shahabad, officials said.
Cloudbursts were reported from Batkoot in Pahalgam (Anantnag), Himli in Lolab (Kupwara), Arin-Dardpora (Bandipora) and other areas, while intense rainfall triggered flash floods in Shopian, Ganderbal and several other parts of the Kashmir Valley.
In Kupwara, a mosque and a footbridge were damaged in flash floods at Bimla Wali Moori. Roads also suffered damage in Bandipora following the cloudburst, while assessment of losses was underway.
Authorities shifted around 200 tourists and local residents to safer locations in Pahalgam and evacuated nearly 80 persons in Shopian as overflowing streams and nallahs inundated low-lying areas. Water levels in the Lidder and other streams rose sharply following heavy rainfall.
Officials said flash floods in Shopian were caused by overflowing local streams after an intense spell of rain rather than a cloudburst. Several structures were affected in the district.
Flash floods and mudslides were also reported from Haripora, Kangan, Uprash forests and Sarbal in Ganderbal district, where slush reached roads, the roof of a residential house was blown off in Bakura and an electric pole was damaged. Minor flooding was also reported from more than a dozen locations across the Valley.
Meanwhile, incessant rainfall forced the suspension of traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) after a stretch near Samroli in Udhampur district became muddy and slippery. Traffic on both carriageways was stopped around 5 pm, leaving hundreds of vehicles stranded on either side.
Officials said the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) had pressed men and machinery into service to restore the affected stretch, while the Traffic Police advised commuters to avoid travelling on the highway until it is declared safe.
In the border district of Rajouri, heavy rains triggered a mudslide that extensively damaged a temporary house in Shahpur village of Kotranka, although its occupants escaped unhurt.
The district administration issued a flood advisory for residents living in vulnerable areas, urging them to remain alert and shift elderly persons, children, pregnant women, persons with disabilities and essential belongings to safer places without waiting for water levels to rise.
People were advised to stay away from rivers, nallahs, bridges and flood channels, while vehicle owners were asked to remove vehicles from low-lying areas and avoid unnecessary travel.
The Meteorological Department has forecast heavy rainfall and brief intense showers in parts of Jammu division till Tuesday, warning that torrential rain over the next five days could trigger flash floods, landslides and shooting stones at vulnerable locations.
Authorities said the situation was being closely monitored across the Union Territory, with disaster response teams and district administrations remaining on alert to deal with any emergency.

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