Jammu and Kashmir Flash Floods Kill 28, Displace Hundreds

Heavy monsoon rains in early July triggered a wave of cloudbursts, flash floods and landslides across Jammu and Kashmir, India. At least 28 people died and six remain missing, with the worst damage reported in the Poonch, Rajouri and Doda districts. Roads, bridges, power lines, drinking‑water schemes and agricultural fields were destroyed, disrupting the Jammu‑Srinagar highway and suspending the traditional Amarnath pilgrimage routes.

In the Darhali Atti area of Rajouri district, flash floods swept villages, destroying homes, livestock and standing crops of rice and maize. Residents such as Sajid Malik fled their houses in the early hours, abandoning horses that perished in the water. Families took shelter in schools and panchayat buildings and appealed for urgent food, clean water and financial assistance. Authorities have begun damage assessments while meteorological officials recorded 15‑16 cloudbursts in the first half of July and warned of continued heavy rainfall.