At Least 11 Killed as Flash Floods

Wreak Havoc in Rajouri, Poonch; Several Still Missing

Report By Y-Trendz

Jammu, July 20, 2026 — Torrential overnight rain has left a trail of destruction across the twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch in Jammu and Kashmir, with the confirmed death toll standing at 11 and

at least seven people still missing as multi-agency rescue teams race against time and worsening weather to reach cut-off villages.

Surankote Emerges as Worst-Hit Area

The disaster unfolded late Saturday night into Sunday, July 19, when incessant rainfall and cloudbursts battered the Pir Panjal region, triggering flash floods, landslides and overflowing rivers across the district. Officials said the flash floods and landslides struck the twin border districts of Poonch and Rajouri, prompting a multi-agency rescue operation. Surankote tehsil in Poonch bore the brunt of the tragedy, accounting for the majority of the fatalities recorded so far.

The most devastating single incident occurred in Lower Murrah village, where a house was struck by debris from a landslide and collapsed. Five members of one family, including a two-year-old boy, were found dead in the debris, while search teams continued combing the wreckage for other missing occupants of the home. Rescue officials described the scene as one of the most heartbreaking of the operation, with entire families buried under mud and rubble in a matter of minutes.

In the Haveli area of Poonch, roughly half a dozen houses collapsed under the weight of the rain-soaked hillside. One person was killed and another critically injured after the houses came down, while a woman's body was later recovered from a nearby river. Local authorities said seven houses in total sustained damage in that locality alone.

Rajouri Town Submerged as Rivers Breach Banks

Neighbouring Rajouri district suffered its own share of destruction as rivers overflowed their banks following the heavy overnight downpour. Floodwaters surged into several residential colonies and low-lying localities of Rajouri town, including the area around the new bus stand, forcing hundreds of residents to flee to safer ground in the early hours of Sunday. Vehicles were washed away or left submerged, and houses across the town were inundated as the rivers burst their banks.

Flood protection walls in parts of the town gave way under the pressure of the surging water, worsening the inundation and sweeping away several more vehicles parked nearby. A distraught resident, describing the scale of the loss, told reporters that virtually everything they owned had been swept away in the deluge, and that a woman from the area was still unaccounted for.

Central and State Governments Respond

The scale of the disaster prompted swift intervention from both the Union government and the Jammu and Kashmir administration. Union Home Minister Amit Shah spoke with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, offering the Centre's full assistance in relief and rescue efforts.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who was in Delhi at the time for a planned statehood protest, cut short his visit and returned to Jammu the same afternoon to personally oversee the response. He has assured affected families that protecting lives remains the government's foremost priority and that all possible aid would be extended to those who have lost homes, vehicles and loved ones.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha reviewed the situation with senior officials and directed authorities to expedite relief and rehabilitation work in both districts. He conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families, particularly those in the Haveli and Surankote areas of Poonch and the affected parts of Rajouri, and directed emergency teams to remain on standby for further contingencies.

On the ground, rescue and relief operations are being carried out jointly by the civil administration, Jammu and Kashmir Police, the Indian Army, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local volunteers. Teams are working to evacuate stranded families from cut-off villages, clear debris from damaged roads, and search for the missing amid continuing rainfall that has hampered movement in several areas.

Local Congress MLA Iftikhar Ahmad, who represents the region, abandoned a party protest programme in Jammu to return to his constituency, saying the extensive damage to public and private property demanded his immediate presence. He has urged the administration to speed up relief, rehabilitation and damage-assessment work as floodwaters gradually begin to recede in parts of Rajouri town.

More Rain Forecast, Concerns Remain

Officials cautioned that the danger is far from over. The India Meteorological Department has forecast moderate to heavy rainfall to continue across Jammu and Kashmir in the coming days, raising fears of further landslides and flash flooding in the already saturated and vulnerable terrain of the Pir Panjal valley.

Authorities are continuing to assess the full extent of damage to homes, roads, bridges and other public infrastructure across both districts, even as rescue teams press on with efforts to locate the seven people still reported missing. With rain continuing to lash the region, officials say the final toll from the disaster may rise further in the days ahead.