Rains lash wide parts of Kashmir valley
Srinagar: Moderate to heavy rains lashed wide parts of Kashmir on Monday, prompting authorities to set up emergency control rooms in vulnerable parts of the valley, officials said.
Heavy rains lashed Srinagar, Kupwara, Baramulla, Anantnag and Pulwama districts of the valley since Monday morning.
They said in the Warnov forest area of Lolab in Kupwara, torrential rains accompanied by thunder forced people to rush towards safer places, fearing a cloudburst.
The Indian Meteorological Department’s Srinagar Centre has issued an advisory of moderate to heavy rainfall in many parts of Kashmir valley.
In view of the inclement weather, police in Pulwama and Anantnag districts have established emergency helplines to facilitate the general public and to avoid any untoward incident.
“General public is advised to exercise utmost caution during the period of weather advisory from 17th to 19th Aug 2025. All the residents living near river Jhelum and local nallahs are urged not to venture into or around water bodies to avoid any activities in their vicinity until the weather improves,” the advisory issued by Pulwama police read.
A similar advisory was issued by Anantnag police.
Meanwhile, in light of incessant rainfall across the valley, the incumbent Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, M. Raju, conducted a comprehensive review of the operational status of essential services, including electricity supply, drinking water provision, and road connectivity, during a meeting held here.
The meeting was attended by SMC Commissioner Fazlul Haseeb, Director Indian Meteorology Department Srinagar, Additional Commissioners of Kashmir, senior officials from KPDCL and PHE, and representatives from other departments.
During the meeting, M. Raju assessed water levels of the river Jhelum and its tributaries to evaluate potential flood threats.
The meeting highlighted that all essential services are functioning smoothly, with restoration efforts underway to address minor outages in certain 11kV electricity lines.
The Divisional Commissioner instructed all departments to submit comprehensive updates on essential service operations by the evening.
He further stressed the importance of maintaining close interdepartmental coordination, ensuring vigilant monitoring, and preparing to respond swiftly to emergencies to mitigate the impact.
The SMC Commissioner provided an update on dewatering efforts across various locations in Srinagar, informing about the deployment of pumps to prevent waterlogging in roads and low-lying areas within the Srinagar city. (with inputs from PTI)
