Srinagar: Recent floods in Jammu and Kashmir have damaged more than 13,500 houses, leaving thousands of families without shelter. Officials indicated that, given the scale of destruction, the Omar Abdullah-led government is preparing to request a relief package from the Centre for those affected.
The floods, triggered by continuous heavy rainfall, caused widespread devastation across the Union Territory. Reports suggest that 155 people have died, while 33 remain unaccounted for.
Authorities noted that the Jammu region suffered the greatest impact. Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, stated that 150 lives were lost and 178 people were injured there.
In Kishtwar’s Chesoti village, a cloudburst on August 14 led to flash floods that killed 70 people, while 33 others are still missing, TNIE reported.
According to officials, more than 12,800 residential houses in the Jammu region were affected by the recent floods, with around 4,200 of them completely destroyed and over 8,600 partially damaged. Crops on more than 1,300 hectares of land were also reported to have been lost.
Authorities said the floods caused extensive damage to infrastructure, including over 2,700 km of roads, several bridges, and numerous culverts. In addition, more than 49,000 power distribution transformers and over 2,000 water supply systems were impacted. The 270-km-long Srinagar–Jammu national highway, which serves as the Valley’s only road connection to the rest of the country, remained closed for more than two weeks due to the damage.
In the Kashmir Valley, Divisional Commissioner Anshul Garg confirmed that four people had lost their lives. He added that about 870 houses were damaged, including 16 completely destroyed, 57 severely damaged, and 791 partially affected.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has instructed district officials to reconcile data with the concerned departments to compile accurate estimates of the destruction. The state government is preparing to submit a comprehensive proposal to the Centre for a restoration package. Abdullah has also appealed to the Modi government to extend financial assistance so that affected families can receive adequate compensation.