Anantnag: A sudden cloudburst in the Nala Chotihall area of Chittergul in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday evening triggered severe flash floods, leaving a trail of extensive destruction across agricultural lands, apple orchards, and residential neighbourhoods. The deluge forced terrified families to evacuate their homes in the middle of the night, seeking refuge on higher ground and in local mosques as floodwaters breached residential areas and cut off vital transportation links.
The natural calamity struck around 7:00 p.m., causing water to rush down from the surrounding mountains and violently divert a local stream in the Chittergul Upper region. The diverted torrents swept through the valley, inundating paddy fields and horticultural plots that form the backbone of the local economy. In addition to the agricultural ruin, the floodwaters originating from Chatpal washed out the main road connecting Chittergul, Chaklipora, and Brimmer, effectively halting movement and complicating initial emergency access to the affected population.
Local residents described scenes of panic and chaos as the water levels rose rapidly after dark. Many families were forced to abandon their belongings to ensure the safety of their children, fleeing into the streets as water breached homes and surrounded community structures, including a local mosque. Community members noted that by midnight, the sheer fear of structural collapse or further flooding kept large numbers of people out on the roads in pitch darkness.
In the wake of the disaster, community members are calling on the district administration and the provincial government to initiate an immediate physical verification of the region. Local farmers and labourers, many of whom rely entirely on seasonal harvests, have expressed deep concern over the long-term impact on their livelihoods due to the ruined apple trees and submerged crops. They are urging authorities to conduct a swift, genuine assessment of the damage to livestock, agriculture, and infrastructure to facilitate immediate financial compensation.
Following the incident, the Anantnag district administration dispatched emergency response teams to the affected locations. These teams are currently working to assess the full scale of the structural and agricultural damage, while simultaneously implementing necessary relief operations and preventive measures to stabilize the area and restore critical road connectivity.
