Woman drowns after Jhelum water surge

A 55-year-old Kashmiri woman drowned in the River Jhelum after a sudden surge in the flow, following release of water from India's Uri Dam, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) said on Friday. The incident occurred at Kucha Syedan, between ChinarI and Hattian Bala, where the widow, Rehmat Bibi, was collecting firewood along the riverbank when she was swept away by the strong current. ChinarI police, Rescue 1122 and local residents launched a joint search operation after the woman went missing. Her body was recovered from the River Jhelum near Muzaffarabad after several hours of searching. According to SDMA senior official Khushal Mughal, the sudden rise in the river's water level was caused by India releasing water from the Uri Dam without prior warning. The SDMA said additional water was released into the River Jhelum in the morning but the flow was stopped again in the evening, causing the river's water level to fall sharply. "At this time of year, the river normally remains between 12 and 15 feet. However, following the release from Uri Dam, the flow rose to more than 18.5 feet during the day. After the release was stopped in the evening, the level dropped to 8.5 feet," the official stated. The administration and rescue agencies have advised residents to avoid the River Jhelum, streams and rainwater channels, particularly when there is a sudden increase in water flow.