Srinagar, Sep 03: A scare gripped Srinagar late Tuesday night after gushing waters from the Jhelum in south Kashmir reportedly breached embankments at Kandizal on the city’s outskirts at several points, raising concerns of possible overflow.
“We hope there are no major breaches; otherwise, the low-lying areas of Srinagar such as Padshahibagh, Rajbagh, Jawaharnagar and even the Bypass stretch might submerge to some extent, though not like the 2014 deluge,” an official with the Flood Control Department said. He added that the probability of widespread flooding remains low, though some waterlogging is expected in pockets.
By Wednesday, waterlogging was reported in Telibal village on the city’s outskirts due to overflowing of nearby water bodies. Officials said similar incidents occued in Lal Chowk, the city center, and surrounding neighborhoods.
Although rainfall had stopped and water levels were receding by Wednesday evening, many residents remained uneasy. “We hope no breaches occur in the Jhelum, and if they do, the department plugs them in time,” said Tariq Ahmad, a resident of Hyderpora Bypass. He said the Jhelum’s carrying capacity has sharply declined over the years, while flood spill channels from Pantha Chowk to Narbal along the Sringar Bypass have disappeared. “Thirty-five years ago, this area was full of flood channels. Now they hardly exist,” he said. Ahmad also said that the Doodh Ganga, a tributary once known for its milky waters flowing through Yusmarg into Srinagar, is “on a ventilator, breathing its last.”
Bashir Ahmad, a resident of Kursoo Rajbagh, said the memories of 2014 still haunt people. “We have been restless since evening. Everyone in our neighborhood is on alert, fearing the river might overflow again,” he said.
Flood Control Department officials, however, maintained that preventive measures are in place. “Over the past several years, we have been treating the Jhelum and its tributaries to increase their carrying capacity. The flood spill channels are also being restored to some extent,” an official said.
