Cloudburst  in Ganderbal's Padabal village & unfulfilled promises

Momin Magray, a resident of Padabal Kangan, Ganderbal district of Jammu and Kashmir, said,  

“On August 3rd at 10:30 PM, I got a call from a nearby village about the hydropower canal possibly overflowing at Kawcherwan. By midnight, we had to evacuate our families to a nearby village… When I saw the canal overflowing, I knew we were in trouble. By the time we returned to evacuate the rest of the village, it was nearly 12:45 AM.”

On August 4th, a cloudburst hit Padabal village of Cherwan, Kangan in the Ganderbal district of central Kashmir. It caused landslides and flash floods that damaged houses, paddy fields, and orchards. According to the locals, a cloudburst occurred in the hydropower canal–Upper Sindh Hydro Power House (USHP) Stage II– located in the upper areas of the village Kawcharwan, nearly 2 kilometres away from Padabal village. After the cloudburst, the canal overflowed, which then turned into a landslide that reached the village, resulting in significant damage. 

The mudslides blocked the Srinagar National Highway and damaged paddy fields, roads, houses, and electricity. The highway was later restored in the day. There have been no casualties reported till now. 

Last month, the Ground Report highlighted the ongoing danger faced by the residents of Kangan, Ganderbal district of J&K, due to recurring breaches from the unfenced power canal of the above-mentioned Hydropower Project Stage II. Despite repeated pleas and efforts since 2009, leakages persist, causing significant damage to homes and fields. Several residents said, “We’ve asked for rehabilitation since 2017, but nothing happened. We live in constant fear of disasters. The authorities need to take our pleas seriously and provide a safer place to live. Due to the fear of mudslides and landslides, many people shifted to neighbouring villages. 

In the report, we emphasized that the government should take precautionary measures as soon as possible to prevent any further damage in these areas.

Panic at midnight

Magray added, “The cloudburst hit the canal, blocking both sides, causing water to overflow into the agricultural land and the nearby village of Parabal Seven. The villagers panicked as they evacuated in the dead of night, carrying crying and scared children.”

One affected family told Ground Report,

"We tried to contact the authorities from 12:45 AM when the incident happened, but no one answered. No officials helped while the water flooded our homes, damaging our fields and property. The closest house was severely affected, and the water pipelines were damaged. We have a marriage function next month, and this disaster has caused a huge setback.”

Residents added, "The canal has a huge strainer and gate. During the recent cloudburst at the Khacherwan hydropower canal, the water overflowed into the agricultural land, eventually reaching Padabal Village," said another resident.

Local farmer Mohammad Ashraf surveyed his ruined fields with despair.

"This was our harvest for the year. Now it's all gone. How will we feed our families? How will we pay for our children's education?" Early estimates suggest hundreds of affected acres–submersion of large paddy fields– with some fields destroyed. Paddy is the main livelihood source in this area.

A local villager explained, “Most houses in the village had water inside or in their gardens. Some families suffered huge damage, and the water pipeline was destroyed. We're living in constant fear. The authorities must act now to prevent future disasters and protect our community.”

Landslides caused by increased construction, human activity, climate

A senior state geologist told Ground Report,

"Two main factors contribute to these landslides—geological and human-induced. Rock stability and type, joint structures, and the presence of soft soil, especially plastic clay soil, contribute to instability. Human interference, like road construction on balanced slopes without precautions and unplanned drainage systems, also destabilizes the area."

As a geologist explained the soil in the Ganderbal area predominantly consists of two types: karewa soils and alluvial soils. The karewa soil contains a component called plastic clay soil, which expands and contracts with moisture, leading to instability. This continuous cycle of compaction and expansion makes the material prone to sliding, especially on gravitational slopes. 

They added, “Additionally, human activities such as the cultivation of land in higher zones and inadequate infiltration of water further destabilize the soil," the geologist explained.

Dr. Ahsan Afzal Wani, Assistant Professor at the School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Kashmir University, and a Tectonic Geomorphology expert, explained the recent landslide events in the Ganderbal district. "The primary cause of these frequent landslides in the Kashmir Himalaya is the region's geology. The area consists of unconsolidated sedimentary rocks and joint bedding planes that make it susceptible to landslides, especially during heavy rainfall. The recent landslide in Ganderbal was triggered by flash floods from a cloudburst".

The geologist noted the impact of climate change, "Climate change is a global reality… and the changes in climate patterns have led to more extreme weather, contributing to landslides and cloudbursts."

According to scientists, the frequency and timing of cloudbursts have changed in recent years due to human-induced climate change. Cloudbursts are associated with thunderstorms where strong updrafts hold a large amount of water and result in catastrophic rainfall in a short period over a limited area.

Although, climate change may be to blame for the rise in cloudbursts, rainfall alone needn’t lead to disastrous landslides. But the Himalayas have been made more vulnerable by human actions. The region has largely been deforested, removing tree roots that reinforce the ground and form a crucial barrier that stops soils from washing away. Unplanned developments and haphazard construction have destabilised already fragile slopes.

Dr Wani added,

“Road construction by organizations like Border Roads Organization (BRO) contributes to the vulnerability, but they are secondary factors. The main issue is that these projects proceed without proper geological and engineering consultations, increasing the risk of landslides.”

Past trends show recurring landslides' impact

The cloudburst and landslide in Cherwan village are not isolated incidents. A few days ago, there was a report of land sinking in the Bonibagh area of Kangan in Ganderbal district, just 1 km away from the cloudburst site. Locals are living in extreme fear as the land near their houses is sinking. “It seems like the hill is about to fall. Landslides from this hill keep coming towards the area. We are reeling in fear,” the residents said.

The Cherwan village is familiar with such incidents. A study titled "The Landslide Database of Kashmir Himalayas (LDKH)" identifies 739 landslide events in 506 days at the regional scale. In addition, the Baltal route (Ganderbal), the main route for Ladakh and Amarnath yatra, and the Sonmarg-Gumri route (Ganderbal) are prone to landslides.

The residents in 2022 appealed to the administration to take immediate measures to prevent another incident. In 2022, a massive landslide hit the area causing extensive damage.

A timeline of similar events in Ganderbal district reveals a pattern

Nature's power unmatched says Authorities

The recent disaster has prompted immediate action from various departments. The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local police, and civil administration shifted the local population to adjoining areas. Top civil and police officials visited the village. The Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) stated it was a major landslide, but there were no casualties. Some families from low-lying areas have been relocated.

However, the locals have requested rehabilitation since 2017 because of landslides and floods. They’ve been trying to contact authorities since the incident but received no response. The administration has been urged to provide relief and ensure the safety of the affected families.

Traffic on the Srinagar-Ladakh highway was restored in the evening after clearing mudslides and stones. Some houses were inundated, but no loss of life was reported.

SDM Ganderbal Bilal Mukhtar said, 

“No matter how much humans prepare, they can’t compete against nature. I thank the people who started rescuing before the police arrived and ensured no lives were lost. Houses in low-lying areas are damaged. We are assessing the situation. For now, we have shifted a few people to nearby houses, and if needed, we will move them to plain areas.”

BRO ignored the rehab order; landslides continue

Ground Report accessed documents related to the August 11, 2022 rehabilitation order. A High-Level Committee (HLC) meeting chaired by the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir addressed Cherwan village, Tehsil Kangan, affected by the widening of the road. 

The issue began when the Border Roads Organization (BRO) acquired land from Wayil to Sonamarg in 2009, including state land in Cherwan, causing seepage. After that the villagers sought rehabilitation through representation to the Chief Minister, leading to a directive for action. In November 2022, a technical team consisting of officers from various departments submitted their report, with the conclusion that the road widening had caused significant seepage. In addition, the report recommended the relocation of affected residents to safer areas.

As per the order, the joint technical opinion report was submitted by the Executive Engineer/Officer Commanding via No. 2000/Land/87/E2 LA dated November 8, 2022. The operative/conclusion and suggestion part of the report reads as follows:

"Keeping in view the above-mentioned observations due to the widening of the SSG road on one side, there has been seepage of water from irrigated land terraces, water canal, seasonal/heavy rains, and snowfall. This has caused the fall of rock masses, tilting and uprooting of plantation, marks of seepage water which has formed gullies and ravines due to erosion of soil substances, and cracks at the base of one of the power tower pillars. The irrigated land at the top of the landslide, moreover, is vulnerable to cloudbursts and earthquakes which can accelerate the movement of the slide slope”.

Jammu and Kashmir UT govt back in 2022 ordered the rehabilitation of inhabitants to safer places based on technical opinions/reports and observations. As per the order copy, accessed by Ground Report, the Tehsildar of Kangan was directed to identify land for the inhabitants’ rehabilitation. However, the Tehsildar said no State/Kacharai land is available for the families. All the families need to be rehabilitated, but the order hasn’t been implemented.

In the same order, the committee suggested the BRO acquire them as per the rule; widen the downhill side and provide protection on the uphill side using gabion or suitable technology; to prevent damage to the strata. For rehabilitation, the Deputy Commissioner of Ganderbal is to identify a suitable area and take up the matter with the Revenue Department.

However, the locals claim that the BRO continued the work without following the state government’s order.

We tried to reach out to the Border Roads Organisation for a quote related to the allegation by residents. We will update this story when we receive a response.

Way forward

Dr. Wani emphasized the importance of combining scientific research with practical policies to address natural disaster challenges in the region. "We can't prevent these events, but we can reduce their impact through planning and resilient infrastructure."

Local resident Junaid Ahmad Mir said, “Since this incident, we want to appeal to both the district administration and the LG administration to review the rehabilitation policy for our village. Such incidents can happen again at any time, and now have to live in fear. We don’t know when it will happen again. We urge the authorities to focus on the rehabilitation of the village and halt the construction, as it might create more problems for us”. 

Regarding mitigation measures, Dr. Wani emphasized considering local lithology and avoiding construction on unstable slopes or valley edges. Vegetation can stabilize the soil. The government should enforce policies to prevent construction in high-risk zones and promote building in stable areas. Increasing awareness and preparedness among local communities is key to mitigating the impact of such events.