Flood Fears Loom as Jhelum Inches Past Danger Mark in Srinagar

SRINAGAR: The Jhelum River continued to swell through Wednesday night, pushing past the danger mark at several points and reviving fears of flooding in Srinagar. Families of trading hubs such as Hari Singh High Street spent the night outside their shuttered shops, fearing that the waters might seep in and trigger a crisis reminiscent of the devastating floods of the past.Official, however, said the floods are unlikely as the water levels have started decreasing gradually.

The latest midnight readings released by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department show the Jhelum flowing above the danger mark at key monitoring points. At Sangam, the gauge stood at 22.34 ft against the danger level of 21 ft, only marginally lower than the 22.63 ft recorded at 11 pm. At Munshibagh, which is the critical indicator for Srinagar city, the water level touched 21.08 ft, just a notch below the 21.09 ft recorded an hour earlier. In Asham, the level rose slightly to 12.31 ft compared to 12.22 ft at 11 pm. Pampore also showed a mild drop, recording 6.03 m against 6.06 m earlier.

The tributaries feeding the Jhelum presented a mixed picture. At Khudwani, the Vishow Nallah fell to 7.07 m from 7.12 m, while the Rambiyara and Lidder nallahs showed stable low levels at 2.64 m and 0.57 m, respectively. The Sindh Nallah at Doderhama was steady at 1.67 m.

The numbers highlight that while there has been no dramatic rise in water levels between 11 pm and midnight, the river continues to run dangerously high, leaving little room for complacency. “It is a very tense situation. We are monitoring the embankments. If rains continue, Srinagar faces a serious risk,” an official said.

In Jammu, however, the mood was far calmer by midnight. Authorities reported that the Chenab River had receded below the alert level of 32 ft, with all other rivers and streams also flowing below the danger threshold except the Ravi in Kathua.

For now, all eyes remain on the Jhelum as Srinagar braces for what the next 24 hours may bring. Traders and residents along the riverbanks are anxiously waiting, sandbags lining shop fronts, as the city watches the swollen river test its fragile defences once again. Officials, however, insist the stagnation is a good indication and the levels will go down in the next few hours especially when the downpour has stopped in upper reaches.