Heavy rains, hailstorm induce waterlogging in Tral’s Bhagandar Machama; houses inundated, crops damaged

BASHARAT RASHID

Tral, May 4: Heavy rain accompanied by a hailstorm has resulted in serious waterlogging in the Bhagandar Machama locality of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, inundating several residential houses, damaging crops, and rendering day-to-day life paralysed.

Locals blame the flooding on the lack of a proper drainage system, saying rainwater, having nowhere to go, poured into houses and flooded streets.

Rafiq Ahmad, a local resident, who called the scene as disastrous: “It was a torrential rain, and because our village is situated below a mountain, all the runoff poured into our houses. Water flooded houses and left residents dismayed. The drainage system here is either not working or clogged. Despite ten years of drainage work, it is still not done and poorly done by individuals who do not care about the people’s well-being.”

He also added: “The Bhagandar to Zrarihar road continues to be impacted because of the clogged drains. Due to this, flood-like waters have ravaged our village, and damaging our crops. We urge the Jammu and Kashmir administration, the LG, and Pulwama Deputy Commissioner to give us compensation for the losses incurred and immediately take steps to clear the drainage and road infrastructure before the situation becomes more critical.”

Locals were worried that if the rains had lasted for even a further hour, the whole village might have been underwater.