11 drowned to death in 2 months as swollen streams turn deadly across Kashmir

Srinagar, Jun 2: When Muhammad Ashraf Mir saw his son, Fahad, slip into the fast-flowing Lidder stream during a family outing in Pahalgam on Sunday, he jumped into the water without hesitation.
The child survived. Mir remains missing.

The 42-year-old resident of Srinagar’s Jawahar Nagar locality was swept away by the water currents near Langanbal, about eight kilometres downstream of Pahalgam.
Locals managed to pull Fahad to safety, but Mir disappeared in the torrent.
As the search entered its third day on Tuesday, teams from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), police, rafting teams and local volunteer rescuers continued combing the river.

MARCOS commandos equipped with specialised equipment joined the operation, while young volunteer rescuer and deep diver Abu Hamza Sheikh travelled from Doda to assist in the search.
“We are praying that his body is recovered so that we can see him one last time and give him a proper burial according to our religious traditions. At least that will bring some relief to the family,” a relative waiting near the search site said.
Mir, an air-conditioner mechanic, now feared dead was the sole breadwinner for a family comprising his wife, two sons and elderly parents.
His case is among a growing number of drowning incidents reported across Kashmir this spring as rivers, streams and canals run high with snowmelt-fed waters.

At least 11 people have died in water-related accidents across the Valley during the past two months, according to official and local reports.
Few managed to survive after being immediately rescued by locals.
The deaths have cast a pall of grief over several households across the valley, shattering families with tragedies that unfolded within moments.
The victims include toddlers, students, young men and adults from districts across Kashmir.
Sunday alone witnessed three separate incidents.
In north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, 18-year-old ObairShabir drowned after he and his father, Shabir Ahmad Wani, were swept away by a sudden surge in NalaSorindar while bathing. 

Wani survived and remains under treatment at SKIMS Soura.
In another incident, three-year-old Abu Bakar died after falling into a canal in the Tangmarg area of north Kashmir’s Baramula.
Doctors at Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Tangmarg declared him dead on arrival.
A day earlier, a young man Nazir Shakil Bhat of Srinagar drowned while bathing in Nigeen Lake.
His body was later recovered by SDRF personnel.

On May 8, three young men from Chandergeer in Hajin – Adil Ahmad Dar (18), Sameer Ahmad Dar (22), and Sohail Ahmad Dar (22)-drowned in the Jhelum River while washing tent material.
On April 25, four-year-old Mohammad Hunzala slipped into Rambiara Nallah near Dubjan Bridge in Shopian while his family was on a picnic.
A massive search operation continued for days before his body was recovered downstream on May 1.

A day later, Muneer Ahmad Shah of Wussan Bela in Kangan -Ganderbal drowned after slipping into Sindh Nallah. 
His body was recovered after nearly two weeks of searches.
Earlier incidents included the death of a two-year-old child, Salim Anaayat in Pulwama’s Mitrigam area on April 19 after drowning in a nearby canal and the drowning of two brothers, Majid Malik (29) and Shahid Malik (25), in the Jhelum river near Bijbehara on April 13 while attempting to save one another.
Many of the accidents occurred during family outings, bathing, photography sessions and recreational visits to water bodies. 
In several cases, victims ventured too close to swollen streams or underestimated the force of the current.

The rising number of fatalities has prompted concern among officials and rescuers.
Following recent incidents, authorities in Ganderbal issued an advisory urging people to stay away from rivers, canals and other open water bodies.
The advisory warned against venturing near Sindh Nallah, Wangath Nallah, the PDC Canal and other locations lacking certified swimming facilities, safety infrastructure and rescue mechanisms.
Meteorological experts say changing weather patterns have contributed to higher water levels earlier in the season.
Mukhtar Ahmad, Director of the Meteorological Department (MeT) in Srinagar, said an unusually warm and dry February accelerated snowmelt in glacier-fed and spring-fed catchments across Kashmir.
“Water levels in streams and rivers began rising as early as late February, and by April many water bodies were already carrying strong flows,” Ahmad said.

He said reduced winter precipitation and a weaker snowpack have altered the traditional pattern of river discharge.
“Earlier, water levels would rise gradually with the onset of summer because of a stronger snow reserve in the mountains. Now, warming temperatures are causing earlier melting, leading to higher flows in spring. If summer rainfall remains below normal, water bodies can subsequently decline sharply, as witnessed last year in June,” Ahmad said.
While experts point to early snowmelt and rising water levels, rescuers say another factor cannot be ignored- the absence of basic safety measures at many vulnerable locations.
“Water bodies are everywhere in Kashmir, and fencing every location is not possible. But vulnerable stretches where currents remain strong and popular swimming spots can certainly be secured,” said local rescuer Ibrahim Ahmad.

He said many accident-prone sites lack warning signs, rescue equipment and trained lifeguards.
“There are places where people gather in large numbers during summer, yet there is no signage warning them about the dangers,” Ahmad said.
According to rescuers, even basic facilities such as lifebuoys, ropes and emergency response points are absent at several locations where accidents frequently occur.
Another voluntary rescuer, Suhail Ahmad said some recent incidents involved people venturing dangerously close to rivers and streams for photographs and selfies.
“A selfie or a photograph is not worth a life. People should avoid going too close to the edge of fast-flowing rivers and streams, particularly during the snowmelt season when currents are stronger than they appear,” he said.
Suhail urged parents to keep a close watch on children and advised non-swimmers to stay away from deep water.
“Many people think they can manage the current, but once they lose their footing, there is very little time to react. Those who cannot swim should avoid entering rivers and streams,” he said.

Volunteers bolster rescue efforts
As incidents continue to be reported from different parts of Kashmir, SDRF teams remain engaged in rescue and recovery operations, often assisted by local volunteers and independent rescue groups.
Rescue officials said the volunteer groups have become an important part of emergency response efforts in the valley, particularly because of the vast network of rivers, streams, lakes and canals spread across the region.
With limited manpower and challenging terrain, local volunteers frequently join operations alongside the SDRF, NDRF, Civil Defence and police.
“The local volunteers are often among the first to reach accident sites. They know the terrain and their contribution has been significant in many rescue and recovery operations,” a rescue official said..

Officials say the SDRF currently has nearly 600 personnel deployed across the Kashmir region.
“Kashmir is crisscrossed by rivers, streams, canals and lakes. It is not possible to station rescue personnel at every vulnerable location,” an SDRF officer said.
To improve response capabilities, the force has increasingly relied on specialised equipment and technology.
Rescue boats and Quick Response Teams (QRT’s) remain deployed at strategic locations, including Dal Lake in Srinagar, where tourist activity remains high during the summer season.

Officials said efforts are underway to further strengthen rescue operations through the induction of rescue water scooters, advanced search drones and other modern equipment aimed at locating missing persons in difficult terrain and water bodies.
“The focus is on reducing response time and reaching people faster during emergencies,” the officer said.
As rescuers continued their search for Mir in the Lidder on Tuesday, officials renewed their appeal for caution around rivers and streams that have become increasingly unpredictable with the onset of the snowmelt season.