Rajouri Flash Floods: Families Rescued, Power Grid Restored on War footing

When the rain finally eased, the reality of the damage in Rajouri began to sink in. Overnight, swollen rivers turned streets into streams, and dozens of homes were left underwater. The immediate priority was people’s safety, so authorities quickly shifted families to a temporary rehabilitation centre a few kilometres outside the town. It’s a modest setup, but it offers shelter, food and a sliver of normalcy for those who lost everything.

Behind the scenes, a different kind of battle was raging – one against broken power lines and dead transformers. The flash floods ripped 15 transformers from their foundations and left roughly 200 more battered, plunging the whole district into darkness. “We’ve treated this like a war‑time operation,” said Javed Akhtar, an executive engineer with the Power Development Department (PDD). “Teams are on site 24/7, swapping out damaged poles, rewiring circuits, and bringing generators online wherever we can.”

What’s striking is the sheer number of hands involved. Senior officers, junior engineers, field staff and even local labourers are working side‑by‑side. Residents, many of whom have never touched a transformer, have been recruited to clear debris and flag unsafe poles. It’s a community effort, and the air is thick with a mix of exhaustion and determination.

So far, electricity has been switched back on in several pockets – a flicker of light in a kitchen, a fan humming in a clinic. Yet many villages still sit in the dark, waiting for the next wave of repairs. The PDD says the plan is to finish the bulk of the work within the next ten days, but the unpredictable terrain makes every day a new challenge.

Meanwhile, the Chenab River, fed by relentless rains in Reasi and the upper catchments, is swelling fast. Authorities opened all gates of the Salal Dam to keep the reservoir from overtopping, which in turn raised water levels downstream. Residents along the riverbanks have been warned to stay indoors and avoid the embankments. Police and district officials have repeatedly urged people to only travel if absolutely necessary and to report any emergencies straight away.

In short, Rajouri is on two fronts: rebuilding homes and lives, and getting the lights back on. The road ahead is long, but the combined effort of officials, workers and ordinary citizens is a testament to the region’s resilience.