Jammu & Kashmir Floods: 2015

In September 2014, continuous unprecedented heavy rainfall had caused Jhelum, Chenab and Tawi rivers and their tributaries to flow above the danger mark. They had flooded the catchment areas, particularly low lying ones for more than two weeks in the state which had severely affected livelihoods and had damaged the basic infrastructure in the state. After the floods, Union Government had given 2,602 crore rupees to the state. It included 770 crore rupees from Prime Minister Relief Fund, 1,602 crore rupees was released under State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).

The primary reasons for Kashmir floods were high rainfall in the catchment areas over short period of time, that amounted to the cloud bursts and less capacity of the drainage system to hold the quantum of water resulting in overflowing of banks.

Unplanned urbanization and encroachment over lakes, ponds and wetlands is key factor of aggravating such tragedies in Jammu & Kashmir. There are around 1230 lakes and water bodies in J&K.  In the last 100 years, more than 50% of these water bodies have been encroached upon for constructing buildings and roads. The natural drainage system of the state has collapsed due to massive degradation of the network of lakes. This has been worsened by the excessive siltation in the lakes and water bodies from the massive deforestation in the Jhelum basin.