Awoora (Pahalgam), Jul 13: A cloudburst that struck the upper catchment of Awoora village in Pahalgam on Saturday evening left dozens of families homeless after flash floods tore through the Gujjar settlement, damaging 18 residential houses, washing away crops, orchards, livestock and poultry, and forcing residents to flee for safety. According to residents, 10 houses in the upper part of the village and eight in the lower hamlet were damaged, including two that were washed away completely.
The floods also destroyed maize fields, vegetable farms, apple and walnut orchards, buried household belongings under mud and debris, washed away wooden footbridges, and disrupted the village’s drinking water, power supply and road connectivity. For 45-year-old Farooq Ahmad Poswal, the cloudburst wiped out both his home and livelihood within minutes. “It was around 8:30 pm. It was raining heavily when we heard a loud sound. Suddenly, a huge volume of water came rushing towards us. We ran and barely managed to save ourselves,” Poswal said.
The torrent, carrying mud, silt and uprooted tree trunks, entered two houses belonging to his family. “Both houses have been damaged and are no longer fit for living. The floodwaters also swept away our poultry besides destroying our maize and vegetable crops,” he said. Poswal said his family of 14, including women and children, is now living in a neighbour’s house. “We have nowhere else to go. We can stay here only for a few days. We hope the government provides relief and rehabilitates us,” he said. The floods also devastated the house of Fatima, 40, whose family escaped moments before an uprooted tree crashed through their kitchen. “I was preparing dinner when floodwaters entered the village. We ran towards the forest and spent the whole night there without food,” she said.
When the family returned the next morning, they found the kitchen wall smashed by the fallen tree. “Had we remained inside, there would have been loss of lives,” Fatima said.
Her husband, Ghulam Hassan Khatana, 48, said the family lost its cowshed, household belongings and apple orchard. “There is nothing left for us to salvage,” he said. The flash floods also washed away six Kanals of agricultural land belonging to Muhammad Shafi Bokhad, 44. “Our maize and vegetable fields have been washed away. This was our only source of livelihood. We have been left with nothing,” Bokhad said. He said floodwaters also entered his house after the swollen Awoora stream overflowed, causing partial damage to the structure. Junaid Ahmad Khatana, 34 said villagers rushed to higher ground as the floodwaters swept through the area.
“Our apple orchards and maize crops have been destroyed. We have lost our livelihood,” he said. Former Deputy Sarpanch Nazir Ahmad Gegi said the devastation extended across the village. “Several houses have suffered extensive damage and household belongings remain buried under mud and debris. Maize fields, vegetable farms and orchards have been washed away. Some families have also lost cattle and poultry, while the wooden bridges built by villagers have been swept away,” Gegi said.
He said the village water supply scheme and power infrastructure had also been damaged, leaving residents without potable drinking water and electricity. “I myself lost my maize crop and walnut trees. There is nothing left except boulders,” he added. Mohammad Yousuf Gujar Gegi, 41, said his house developed major cracks after being hit by the flood. “There is mud and debris inside. Our bedding, utensils and other household belongings have been washed away. The house is no longer safe to live in,” he said.
His younger brother, Mohammad Rafiq Gegi, 38 also lost his house, walnut orchard and maize fields. “We have lost both our shelter and livelihood. We have nowhere to go,” Rafiq said. Among the worst affected is 65-year-old widow Noor Jehan, whose house and apple orchard were destroyed. “My son, his wife and children lived with me in the same house. Now we have been left with nothing,” she said. Village Numberdar Mohammad Yasin Khatana, 70 said the financial assistance announced so far was inadequate considering the scale of destruction.
“The Rs 25,000 and Rs 50,000 announced under the disaster relief fund cannot compensate these losses. Houses, orchards, maize fields, livestock and household belongings worth crores have been destroyed. The affected families need rehabilitation, not just temporary relief,” he said. Revenue officials have started assessing the losses.
Tehsildar Sallar Sajad Ahmad said the damage to houses, crops and other infrastructure was being assessed. “The assessment is underway. I am yet to receive the final report on the extent of the damage,” he said.
