Heavy rains struck Rajouri and Poonch on July 19, 2026, and the Dharhali River surged over its banks. 

The torrent swallowed the New Bus Stand area in Rajouri town, sweeping away dozens of houses and hundreds of vehicles. Twelve people died. A house collapsed in the downpour and killed nine in one blow in Poonch. 

These losses join a grim tally that local authorities have watched accumulate for years.

The pattern repeats with punishing regularity. 

Last year’s monsoon season delivered over 150 deaths across Jammu and Kashmir and destroyed thousands of homes. Government figures confirm the scale: entire districts lost houses, livestock and crops. Bridges collapsed, roads washed out, and water systems failed. 

Recovery teams still distribute compensation while the same vulnerabilities sit exposed.

Floodwaters strike hardest where people have built directly into river channels and floodplains. Houses, shops and makeshift colonies crowd the banks of the Jhelum, Chenab, Tawi and their tributaries. 

When flows rise fast, these settlements vanish first under water or silt. 

In Jammu,........

© Kashmir Observer