Between 8:30 am on Tuesday (September 2, 2025) and 5:30 a.m. on Wednesday (September 3, 2025), several regions in Jammu & Kashmir witnessed significant rainfall. Heavy downpours battered several parts of Kashmir, leading to widespread water logging and flooded streets in parts of Jammu and Kashmir. Flooding reported significant disruptions to daily life, with commuters and shopkeepers facing major inconveniences as key areas turned into virtual rivers. The relentless rain caused flooding at many locations. The Jhelum River and other water bodies in the Valley remained above the danger mark, providing reminder of memories of the devastating 2014 floods that had submerged large parts of the Kashmir region. However, the ongoing monsoon fury in Jammu and Kashmir has already claimed numerous lives in recent weeks, with over many fatalities reported from cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods since ending August. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH-44) continues to face disruptions due to shooting stones and water logging in many areas
September 2014 Flooding: The flood of 2014 in the Kashmir Valley was the worst flood in the last hundred years. The unprecedented rainfall was apparently the immediate cause of flooding in the Kashmir valley. However, it was aggravated by many other factors, for example, rapid urbanization, many other activities ,poor management of flood spill channel, encroachment of wetlands and land adjoining river banks, the disappearance of wetlands, etc. These factors contributed towards blocking of the natural drainage patterns and increased the severity of the flood.
The 2014 Kashmir flood documentation serves as a guide for future flood management and preparedness. It outlines lessons learned and suggests long-term resilience-building measures. The goal is for other Indian states and union territories to use this information to create well-coordinated flood preparedness, response, and rehabilitation plans based on the principle of “Building Back Better”.
The flood of September 2024 caused 287 deaths, adversely affected around two million people. It paralyzed Kashmir for several days. Many people came forward to affected people of Jammu and Kashmir. The documentation of 2014 Kashmir flood has drawn lessons for future course of action and for managing similar events in a well-coordinated manner. This document has also suggested long-term measures that should be taken for building resilience. It is expected that this work will help other States/UTs in planning the flood preparedness, response and rehabilitation efforts in a well-coordinated manner by following the principle of Building Back Better. The study will also help in bringing much needed awareness among vulnerable population of the UT of Jammu & Kashmir, and the administration will get benefitted in terms of analyzing strengths weaknesses, threats and opportunities for managing disaster events in a holistic manner.
Quick Tips For The People: Below are some quick tips for the people:
Avoid travel near rivers and water bodies, as the risk of flash floods is high. Roads near rivers may become impassable.
Check weather updates regularly: Stay informed about the latest advisories from local authorities and the IMD.
Stay indoors during heavy rain: Avoid outdoor activities in affected regions, and stay safe during peak rainfall times.
(The author a teacher by profession is a freelancer. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Hilal Ahmad Bhat
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