Floods – Flash floods wash away farmland, crops and livestock assets in Rajouri
Floods – Farmers in parts of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district are reporting extensive losses after heavy rain triggered flash floods that swept through agricultural areas, damaging farmland, standing crops and other property.
The worst-affected locations include the Saaj and Plangher areas, where fast-moving water from rivers and streams reportedly eroded fertile land and damaged property belonging to farming families. Residents said the destruction has left several households facing serious difficulties because agriculture remains their main source of income and livelihood.
Heavy rain triggers fresh destruction
According to residents, heavy rainfall on July 19 caused floodwaters to rise rapidly during the night. The resulting flow reportedly cut into the land around houses and carried away paddy fields, maize crops, livestock shelters and other belongings.
One affected resident told ANI that the stream became strong enough to erode the ground beneath some houses. He said agricultural fields and other assets were swept away as the water moved through the area.
The resident said the damage was particularly severe for families that depended completely on farming. With their paddy and maize fields destroyed, many households have lost both their crops and a major source of income.
Dozens of households report farmland losses
Residents in the affected areas claimed that approximately 25 to 30 households had their agricultural land washed away by the stream.
Speaking to ANI, one local resident said the scale of destruction was considerable but alleged that the affected locality had not received sufficient attention from the administration. He also said that government ministers and officials were focused on areas where the damage had been reported on a larger scale.
Some families, according to the resident, also suffered damage to their homes and livestock enclosures. He further claimed that the local MLA had not visited the affected area after the flooding.
Mehra village faces further agricultural damage
Fresh reports of flood-related destruction have also emerged from Mehra village in Rajouri district. Heavy rainfall and another flash flood reportedly caused additional damage to farmland and standing crops, worsening losses already suffered during the July 19 flooding.
A farmer from the village said the latest flooding destroyed agricultural land that had survived the earlier incident. He told ANI that his family lost around 10 to 12 kanals of farmland, while nearly 50 kanals belonging to his relatives were also swept away.
Farmers lose land used for crops and livestock
The farmer said the affected land was important not only for growing crops but also for producing fodder and supporting livestock. He said the latest flooding had removed much of the remaining farmland that families were relying on after the earlier damage.
According to his account, around 30 to 40 families in Mehra village have suffered similar losses. The farmer also said the river had changed its course through agricultural fields, contributing to further erosion and destruction.
The successive floods have therefore created a difficult situation for farming communities in several parts of Rajouri. With fertile land, standing crops and livestock-related infrastructure damaged or lost, affected residents are seeking greater attention toward the losses suffered in their villages.