Kashmir Floods: Rapid

Assessment
Peoples Report 1

This report is based on the discussion and interaction with different community
network leaders and individuals. This report maps out the nature and extent of
the disaster providing an overall picture of the situation in Kashmir

2014

Young Kashmir Volunteers Alliance YKVAS, Srinagar
9/24/2014







Peoples Report - I



Kashmir Floods: A Rapid Assessment




This report is based on the discussion and interaction with different
community network leaders and individuals. This report maps out the
nature and extent of the disaster providing an overall picture of the
situation in Kashmir

( A KVDFR and CSA report)






Disclaimer:

This report is a peoples report and the information presented here is
collected by trained researchers mostly Ph.D scholars, MSW students
and volunteers with multiple professional background. The data
collected and findings evolved are the result of primary data which may
contradict with other sources of data. Individuals and agencies are
encouraged to take in consideration other perspectives on rapid
assessment of Kashmir floods.










Abbreviations:





Contents




















Part 1
Executive Summary:

1. A total of 26 relief shelters in highly affected parts of Srinagar
housed 37450 people.
2. Out of the 26 relief shelters studied in district Srinagar, 7.7%
received food supplies from NGOs.
3. 92.3% of the relief shelters received food supplies from community
donations.
4. Only 1 relief shelters reported rescues by the army and 2 relief
shelters by the NDRF.
5. An overwhelming 96% people were rescued by the local volunteers.
6. Around 200 pregnant women were reported to be present in these
shelters.
7. There was reported an immediate need for ration at 19 of the 26
relief shelters.
8. 33% relief shelters were operated from government schools (this is
also seen as a reason for the inability of the government to reopen
the schools).
9. 23 relief shelters were maintained and run by local volunteers, 2
were run by NGOs and only 1 was run by the state government.
10. 7 relief shelters were found to be having sufficient food supplies.
Also 12 had insufficient and 5 had irregular food supplies.
11. relief shelters received packaged drinking water. The remaining 15
shelters received chlorinated water from various sources.
12. shelters maintained a list of people sheltered.
13. relief shelters lacked proper toilet facilities.
14. relief shelters lacked wastage disposal facilities.
15. relief shelters reported incidents of diarrhea. 15 relief shelters
reported cases of skin irritation. Along with cases of UTI and RTI
in a lot of the camps.
16. A majority of the relief shelters required blankets.
17. A majority of camps reiterated that the army/NDRF did not turn up
for any help, despite media claims.















Part 2 Introduction

History and Memory of Floods in Kashmir

Valley of Kashmir is a basin surrounded by mountains measuring 130
Km SE by 40 Km NE. Valley is drained by five major rivers and
numerous streams. River Jehlum, one of the major rivers of the valley
cuts through a narrow gorge and exits near Baramulla district in north
Kashmir. The total catchment area of Kashmir exceeds 1500 square
kms and includes several snow fields and glaciers. The resulting
discharge of river Jehlum is strongly dependent on seasons. In Past
River Jehlum served as the chief means of transport for the valley and
formed the lifeline of the trade and commerce in the valley. The
massive floods that Kashmir has witnessed in the recently defy the
serene image that Jehlum river otherwise presents.
Floods form an important part of Kashmirs history. One of the earliest
floods witnessed by Kashmiris and recorded in Tarikh-e-Hassan
occurred in 833 A.D. According to this account the Valley of Kashmir
was flooded after a massive earthquake triggered landslides,
impounding river Jhelum. Villages and towns along the river Jehlum
were obliged to keep the embankments of the river in repair. Many
villages and towns had a strong community tradition of collectively
repairing and maintaining river embankments. Walter Lawrence the
settlement commissioner of Kashmir, who arrived in the valley in 1889
expressed his concern over the expansion of the capital city of Srinagar.
He warned that the city was expanding towards the flood plain and was
constantly exposing itself from the floods. The expansion of the city
blocked the drainage system of the valley and was the major cause of
floods. According to Lawrence the flood of 1893 had some positive
effect on the state, as state geared itself to protect Srinagar city from
inundation in future. For Lawrence, measures taken by the state
towards protecting the city of Srinagar increased the future
vulnerability of the city to the floods as it obstructs the passage of
waters from south through the city. He observes that the founders of
Srinagar have bequeathed a serious engineering problem to the lower
bed of the river at Baramulla, regulating the water level of the valley
by gates. Several proposals for control and management of floods were
put forward by different agencies. Lawrence maintains that de-silting of
Wular Lake, which is the natural delta of the river, should be a priority.

Urbanization and Infrastructure Development in Kashmir
In last one decade valley of Kashmir witnessed rapid urbanization and
massive infrastructure development. Besides rapid urbanization,
inauguration of elevated intra-Kashmir rail network in the year 2008
and an elevated highway continued to obstruct the passage of water
from south through Srinagar. Population pressure on the water bodies
and shrinking of wetlands that used to retain the excess flood waters in
Kashmir further aggravated the situation. Construction of railway line
along the flood plains worsened the flood situation in the areas located
in and around the railway track. Reclamation of land for the elevated
railway track and highway from the southern district of Anantnag to
northern district of Baramula contributed to the shrinking of flood
plains and also acted as a physical barrier. Unusually higher levels of
inundation witnessed in some villages like Kakpora in Pulwama
district, Nowgam and Lasjan in Srinagar may be attributed to the
elevated railway track and highway. Rapid urbanization across Kashmir
worsened the flood vulnerability in the Jehlum basin. Wetlands like
Hokersar lost their capacity to retain excess flood water.
Wetlands conservation and hydrological cycles are strongly linked.
Encroachment to wetlands affects the water retention capacity of
wetlands and significantly impacts the levels of inundation. According
to one estimate city of Srinagar lost twenty wetlands to the urban
colonies during the last five days of urbanization and infrastructure
development. There has been a massive upsurge in concretization of
spaces in and around Srinagar. The impervious concrete spaces have
increased from 30% in 1990 to 65% in 2010 severely affecting the
hydrological processes. New housing colonies that were duly approved
by the successive government authorities have been constructed on
flood plains and have blocked the traditional drainage pattern and
immensely contributed to the vulnerability of Srinagar city to floods
and inundation1. In the absence of any pro-active strategy and lack of
comprehensive disaster management plan state of Jammu and Kashmir
remains vulnerable to all forms of disasters.
Chronology of the September Flood in Kashmir
Simultaneous western disturbance and disturbances in the Bay of
Bengal resulted in heavy rains in parts of Jammu and Kashmir, on 2nd
September, 2014. The Metrological department of Jammu and Kashmir
predicted that rainfall will continue till 6th of September. On 3rd of
September local dailies reported that threat of floods is looming large
on the valley. As rains continued to pour incessantly, water levels in the
major rivers of Jammu and Kashmir started to rise. The water levels in
Chenab, Jhelum, Tawi and Sind rose threatening a spill over and
breach. Alongside, water levels in the tributaries of Jhelum like Lidder,
Toungri and Vaishav in South Kashmir were also rising considerably.
On the same day Chief Engineer, flood control Kashmir declared a
flood alert in the Southern districts of Kashmir like Anantnag, Kulgam
and Pulwama. Educational institutions in the South were closed.
Srinagar Jammu highway was closed down for traffic due to landslides.
In Distirct Kulgam Vaishav Nallah raised havoc breaching its

1
Ramshoo, S, 2014 The 2014 Kashmir Flood: The Extreme of Extremes,
http://www.greaterkashmir.com/news/2014/Sep/22/the-2014-kashmir-flood-the-
extreme-of-the-extremes-30.asp
embankments and washing away many villages like Akhran and
Aaaregutun.
After the reports came from District Anantnag that residential houses
and cowsheds have been washed away by Jhelum in Verinaag and
Dooru, the administration asked the people to move to safer places. On
the 3rd itself the water in Jhelum touched the danger mark of 23 feet at
Sangum, Anantnag.
On 4th of September, flood alert was declared all across Jammu and
Kashmir. The water levels in Jhelum, Tawi and Chenab rose way above
the danger mark. Reports of death and destruction started coming in all
across Jammu and Kashmir. On 5th of September a bus carrying a
marriage party was swept away on the Lam-Darhal road in Nowshera
Tehsil of district Rajouri. In Rajouri as many as 70 houses collapsed
and many more were damaged. Similarly in the Poonch district several
hundred houses were damaged mainly in Surankot Tehsil.
As many as seventy villages in District Anantnag were submerged by
the 5th of September. Flood water also entered areas of the township
inundating Mattan Chowk, Dangerpora, Mehandi Kadal, Lal Chowk,
Janglat Mandi, Achajipora, Moominabad, Iqbal Market, Bakshiabad,
Laizbal, Anchidora, SK Colony, Achabal Adda, Naibasti and Khanabal.
Many bridges were washed away rendering South of Kashmir totally
cut off. In the meantime phone and mobile networks were completely
down creating more panic. Many people in the south remained stranded
with no information about their whereabouts.
Reports came from Shopian that Rambir Nallah has breached its
embankments and village Kaprin and some other villages are
inundated. Rambir Nallah breached in District Pulwama as well
submerging Sarvan pur village in Kehlena. Towards the north in
Tangmarag one more tributary of Jhelum; Nallha Ferozpora breached
inundating the village Shrai Kunzar.
In Srinagar due to rains several areas like Safa Kadal, Eidgah,
Nowshehra, Soura, Ali Jan Road, Gulshan Nagar, Mehjoor Nagar,
Gogji Bagh, Wazir Bagh, Jawahar Nagar, Rajbagh and Bemina were
inundated. As the rains continued without any stopping Jhelum was
already flowing at seven feet above the danger mark at Sangum in
Anantnag and 4 feet above the danger mark at Ram Munshi Bagh in
Srinagar. On 5th September River Jhelum started breaching its
embankments and started spilling over at places like Lasjan, Armwari,
Kanilpora, Pandrethan and Pantha Chowk. On the same day Srinagar
Anantnag highway was declared unsafe for traffic. In the intervening
night of 6th and 7th September while south Kashmir remained
inundated and cut off with no connectivity whatsoever, the Jhelum
breached its embankments all along the Srinagar city inundating the
nerve center of Jammu and Kashmir. People in the city had been caught
unawares. People ran for their lives to the upper stories of their houses
in the dead of the night when some people say that it took 18 minutes
for the water to fill the first story of their house. Lakhs of people were
stranded and property worth billions under the water. On the morning
of 7th September Indian TV channels flashed the news that Jammu and
Kashmir is hit by the worst flood in its living memory. Red alert was
sounded in the north of Kashmir in the districts of Bandipora and
Baramulla. As the waters filled the Srinagar city inundating Shivpora,
Indranagar, Rajbagh, Jawaharnagar Lal Chowk, Munawarabad, Bemina
and many more areas, water took over Singhpora in Baramulla district
15 km from Srinagar and Sumbal in Bandipora district 15 km from
Singhpora as well.

Politics of rescue and relief
Media plays a critical role in many aspects of crisis and disasters. The
manner in which media frames a particular disaster is crucial to how
various state and non-state actors would response to such disasters.
Researchers have highlighted the ability of mass media to set the
agenda influencing public policy and response to a particular disaster.
In case of Kashmir floods the relief and rescue work was marred by the
politicization of the disaster from the beginning. Despite the fact that
the estimated initial cost of damage caused by floods in Jammu and
Kashmir is close to one billion U.S dollars, Indian state refused to
accept outside aid or assistance offered by international disaster relief
organizations. While disallowing aid and assistance from the
International aid agencies, Indian Prime Minister offered to assist
Pakistani state in relief and rescue work in Pakistani administered
Kashmir. Sixty years of contestation in Kashmir cast its shadow over
human tragedy that claimed hundreds of lives and damaged thousands
of livelihoods. Indian media houses wasted no time in projecting Indian
Army as saviors of Kashmir. Indian electronic media debated if the
Indian Army relief and rescue work would be the turning point for
Indian Army in Kashmir2. In the rescue operations carried by Indian
Army, many locals accused Indian Army of discrimination. Several
incidents of stone pelting on Army choppers and State government
officials were reported in the local news papers3. Instead of
humanizing events Indian media took a command-post view of the
whole situation in Kashmir4. They undermined the key role played by
local community volunteers in rescue and relief and followed the
official line. The farming of Kashmir flood and the response of armed
forces to the human tragedy as vindication of Indian Armys position
or as a turning point for Indian Army overshadowed the urgency for
relief and rehabilitation.


2
Indian turns Kashmir flood disaster into PR stunt, dated: 20
th
September,
http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2014/9/kashmir-floods-
indiarescuereliefeffort.html
3
Anger Rises in Indias Kashmir as people remain trapped, Dated: 13
th
September,
2014 http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/anger-rises-in-indias-kashmir-valley-
as-people-remain-trapped-a-week-after-floods/2014/09/13/975dc8ea-ed15-4d0f-
a517-4c0ab71d3d0a
4
Wenger, Dennis, Thomas James and Charles Faupel (1980) Disaster
Beliefs and Emergency Planning Newark: Disaster Research Center














Part -3
Methodology

This rapid assessment was conducted in consultation with civil society
groups and activists in Kashmir. The site for data collection was the
relief shelter. The details regarding the catchment area of a particular
relief shelter was expected provide rapid assessment of the extent of the
disaster. The assessment tools were prepared after deliberation and in
due consultation with the civil society alliance of Kashmir. The
assessment tool was prepared with following objectives:

1. To get an overall picture of the nature and extent of disaster in
Srinagar city
2. To understand the nature and extent of response by different stake
holders
3. To develop an inventory of resource persons engaged in disaster
relief in the city of Srinagar
4. To map out areas affected by the floods in Srinagar city
5. To prepare an inventory of immediate requirements in the relief
shelters

Sampling
Snowball sampling technique was used to seek information about the
location of relief shelters in Srinagar city. In the snowball sampling
technique the first contact persons in one of the relief shelters provided
the addresses of other relief shelters and the respondents. Using this
technique a sample of twenty six relief shelters was generated
subsequently




Fig. 1 Jhelum catchment (principal streams in blue) and place names
mentioned in the text. River valleys are light grey amid high elevations
>2,000m shaded black. Rupture area of 2005 Kashmir earthquake
shadedyellow. Location of Fig. 4a, b indicated by box. (Source: Bali
and Bilham, 2013)

.





Fig 2 The path of the Jehlum downsream from Baramula with river
terraces above 1.590m below 1,650mshaded. Constricted channels L1-
L5

















Chapter 4 - Major Findings

Nature and Extent of Disaster in Srinagar

Srinagar city as per 2011 census is home to 1202447 people.
Assessment of 26 shelters across Srinagar city reveals that these
shelters housed people from thirty six localities across Srinagar. These
relief centers provided shelter to around 37450 people. Many people
affected by the floods after shifting to the safer places are staying with
their relatives. However a significant number of the people stayed in
the relief shelters. The relief shelters housed people from following
localities:

S.No Name of the Localities
1. Parimpora
2. Bemina
3. Shalteng
4. Chanapora
5. Mehjoornagar
6. Kursoo Rajbagh
7. Rajbagh
8. Jawahar Nagar
9. Rambagh
10. Tengpora
11. Batmaloo
12. Padshahi Bagh
13. Alochi Bagh
14. Sanat Nagar
15. Dal Lake
16. Indra Nagar
17. Palpora
18. Rainawari
19. Hazratbal
20. HMT
21. Bal Garden
22. GogjiBagh
23. Shivpora
24. Fruit Mandi
25. Umarabad
26. Tengpora
27. Tulsi Bagh
28. Malura
29. JVC
30. Nowgam
31. Peerbagh
32. Galwanpora
33. Mahraja Bazar
34. Natipora
35. Solina
36. Exhibition


Nature and Extent of response by different Stakeholders

In a report dated 22
nd
September carried by a local newspaper, state
government claims to have established 137 relief centers catering to
one lakh people in valley of Kashmir. Report also claims that the most
of the relief centers have been wound up with the improvement of the
flood situation and return of the flood affected people to their homes
5
.
In the 26 shelters that were studied in the city of Srinagar, 92.3% of the
shelters received food supplies from the community donations
(local mosque committees and individual donations) and 7.7%

5
Over Two lakh structures damaged in Floods: Government, 22
nd
September, 2014:
http://www.risingkashmir.com/over-2-lakh-structures-damaged-in-floods-govt/
received food supplies from N.G.Os. Overwhelming majority of the
relief centers, 93.30% were maintained and managed by local
community volunteers. Strong community networks played a crucial
role in relief and rescue operations in the Srinagar city. An
overwhelming 96% people housed in the twenty six shelters across
the city of Srinagar were rescued by community volunteers and 4%
were rescued by Indian Army and NDRF. Out of 26 relief shelters
studied reports from 21 centers reflected that they were maintained and
managed by local community volunteers. Exceptionally less number
two out of 26 and one out of 26 were maintained and managed by
N.G.Os and the State government respectively.


Inventory of resource persons

As data reveals overwhelming majority of the relief shelters were
maintained by the community volunteers that included mohalla/ masjid
committees and individual volunteers. The inventory of resource
persons who maintained and managed the relief shelters is expected to
provide basic network for long term relief and rehabilitation of the
flood affected people in Srinagar city.
S.No Name of the
Relief
Shelter
Contact
persons
Contact
Numbers
1. Markazi
Baitul Maal
(Parimpora) Zaffar Habib 9797076737
2. ,Parimpora
(Gul Bagh)
Shakeel Ah.
Mir 9622491745
Dr. Abdul
Rehman 9419005720
3.
Shalteng
Dr Shuja
Hussain 9906571942
Dr Javaid 990666236
4.
Masjid
Ibrahim,
Bemina
Mr Ajaz 9697873474
Dr Syed Arif
Hussain 9858476365
5. Shamsabad,
Bemina
Ahmadullah
Sahab 9596479777
6.
Rehmat
Baitul Maal,
Rawalpora
Abdul Latief 9858302795
Mohammad
Younis 9906736277
Shahnawaz 9858742355
7.
Gurduwara
Shahid
Banga,
Baghat
Sarabjit Singh 9796849359
Bikram Singh 9419021375
Prof. SS Bali 9469132913
8.
Marriage
Hall
Sanatnagar
Mohammad
Maqbool
Tantray 9419014747
Mohammad
Shafi 9858480539
9.
Syed Hyder
Baitul Mal,
Hyderpora
Nazir Ah Dar 9419054223
Ghulam Hassan
Rather 9796572935
Ghulam
Mohammad
Bhat 9419084115
10.
Handwara
Traders
Federation,
Rambagh
Aijaz Ah Sofi 9906418000
Abdul Rahim
Mir 9797786103
Farooq Ahmed 9797802371
11.
Community
Center
Goripora
Haji Ghulam
Nabi Bhat 9419004968
Bilal Ahmed 9419064304
12.
J&K Yateem
Foundation,
Jawahar
Nagar Bund
Mohammad
Rafiq Lone 9622905881
Mohammad
Ayoub Wani 9419520215
Bashmir Ah
Bhat 9419922296
13.
Baitul Maal
Solina
Payeen
Ali Mohammad
Khan 7298309136
Mubashur
Bhat 8713957610
Mohammad
Issaq 9796332205
14. Govt. Boys
Higher
Secodary
School,
Rainawari
Javaid Ahmed 9858736350
Gulshan 8803678020
15. GPM School,
Rainawari
Bashir Ah
Shahra 9419064902
16. Govt Girls
Higher Sec
School,
Rainawari
Yasir 9797040047
Mohammad
Ashraf 969795634
17. Govt Girls
Sec School,
Sonwar
Khursheed
Ahmed 9419539872
18.
Woodland
High School,
Sonwar
Shakeel Ahmed
Malick 9697401540
Fayaz Malick 9906842671
19.
Muwest
School,
Rainawari
Tariq Ahmed 979622683
Wahid 9796533234
Bashir Ahmed 9086101057
20.
Kashmir
University
Khalid 9419014763
Mir Imran 8803925217
Mohammad
Shahid 959643808
Shabir Noorani 9858064970
21.
Habak
Crossing
Mufti
Nizammudin 9419003637
Fayaz Ahmed 7298531336
22. Boys Higher
Secondary
School,
Lalbazar
Mohammad
Shafi Jan 7298372234
23. Shah Kadal-
Watal Kadal
Mohammad
Afzal 9018368515
24.
Govt Higher
Secondary
School,
Hazratbal
Ghulam Hassan
Akhoon , 9596013877
Aijaz Ahmed 97971906514
Tassaduq
Hussain
Akhoon 9596250063
25. Gani
Memorial
Marriage
Hall
Ghulam Dar 9419411862
Raees Ahmed 9796163828
26. Islamia High
School,
Rajouri
Professor
Gilani 2429813
Kadal








Situation Analysis of Relief shelters in Srinagar

Out of 26 relief shelters studied only seven shelters reported sufficient
supply of food and rations. Eleven shelters received packaged drinking
water and 15 shelters were using chlorinated water for drinking. Out of
26 shelters only 14 shelters had updated list of people housed in the
shelters. Health and hygiene remains a major issue in majority of the
relief shelters as 23 relief shelters reported lack of toilet facilities. 19
out of 26 relief shelters lacked proper wastage disposal mechanism.
Thirty three percent of relief shelters were housed in schools
significantly affecting the school education in Srinagar city. Two
hundred pregnant women were reported from twenty six relief shelters
across Srinagar. Majority of relief shelters reported the requirement of
blankets. Seven relief shelters reported the incidents of diarrhea and
fifteen shelters reported the incidents of skin irritation along with
urinary tract infections. All relief shelters reported that Army/ NDRF
did not come to their rescue despite desperate calls/requests.














92.3
7.7
Relief received from different
sources
Local community
resources
N.G.Os












Percentage of people rescued by different stakeholders in
the relief shelters across Srinagar
















2 2
96
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Army/NDRF NDRF Local Volunteers