On Wednesday morning, flash floods in Suktoh and Darhali rivers hit Rajouri district, damaging a number of bridges and roads, due to heavy rainfall in upper reaches.
The water level in two rivers that cross the Rajouri town surged all of a sudden around 5:40 am, reported a local newspaper.
“At around 06:40 AM, the water level in river near Salani, where both Suktoh and Darhali rivers join each other, touched flood alert level, for the first in past several years,” Junior Engineer of Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Hamid Ahmed told the newspaper. Another unnamed official said: “Temporary bridge constructed on main highway near Rajouri town and on Dassal nallah got partially damaged whereas a foot bridge over Suktoh river in Mankote river that connects Rajouri garden with the highway got damaged as one side approach path of bridge collapsed.”
After an unprecedented summer season, Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a round of rain from the intervening night of 25 and 26 August. It also brought relief to citizens struggling with the prolonged heatwave in the regions.
The officials further added that reports of more damages are being received with minor losses like washing of boundary walls and other structures located alongside river banks like cremation grounds.