Srinagar braces for flood fury: Residents rush belongings to higher ground as Jhelum swells

Srinagar is once again living under the shadow of floods. As torrential rains lashed Kashmir this week, residents of the city began hauling refrigerators, sofas, utensils, and even entire car showrooms to higher ground — unwilling to relive the devastation of 2014, when half the city lay submerged for nearly a month.

On September 5 morning, the Jhelum river surged to 22.31 feet in Srinagar — 4.31 feet above the flood declaration level and 1.31 feet over the danger mark — making it the highest water level since the 2014 catastrophe. The pressure forced a controlled breach of the flood spill channel near Hokersar wetland to ease the swelling river.

“We were caught unawares in 2014 as we didn’t think the water would reach that high. This time, we’re taking no chances,” said Sheikh Mehnaz, a resident of Nowgam, as his family shifted belongings to the top floor. “If the embankments give way, we won’t even have 15 minutes to escape.”

The state government has announced precautionary evacuations from vulnerable neighbourhoods, including Nowgam, Natipota, Mehjoor Nagar, and Padshahi Bagh. But by the time the alerts went out, residents had already acted — clearing lower floors, moving vehicles to flyovers and highways, and parking buses and trucks from the Panthachowk terminus on higher ground.

The anxiety is compounded by misinformation on social media. Rumours of embankment breaches and crop devastation sparked panic, drawing crowds to flooded outskirts to film reels and viral videos. Officials later clarified that a “deliberate, controlled breach” was carried out to divert water, not a collapse.

While rainfall has paused for over 24 hours, the Jhelum continues to flow above the danger mark, keeping the Valley on edge. For Srinagar, the memories of 2014 are far too raw — and residents know that vigilance may be the only shield against nature’s fury.