MUZAFFARABAD (Kashmir English): On May 27, 2025, a sudden cloudburst hit the villages of Khaitar and Balgran in Tehsil Pathika Naseerabad, resulting in Muzaffarabad flash floods.
The disaster caused severe damage, including three confirmed deaths, two in Balgran and one in Khaitar, and left one elderly man missing. Around 20-25 houses were destroyed, and a mosque was partially damaged.
Teams from local Rescue 1122, the police and volunteers quickly arrived in the area to help with search and rescue. Efforts to help those affected by the disaster are underway and teams are concentrating on hit locations. Authorities are working on the situation and families are getting humanitarian aid.
The situation is still being watched and we will provide more updates as the rescue operations continue.
Muzaffarabad Flash Floods
Following a cloudburst, the Balgran village in AJK faced a flash flood which left people devastated. Precious topsoil and many standing crops were ruined by the floods, leaving villagers to struggle for their way of life.
State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) Azad Jammu & Kashmir team had reached the area. The SDMA also confirmed that the cloudburst occurred in the “Magri Mali” and “Leswa” areas.
When rain falls so quickly that the underlying ground cannot handle it or drain it away quickly enough, flash flooding occurs. Roads can turn into rivers, and if there is a lot of water, it can sweep automobiles away and flood houses.
Flash flooding is therefore a possibility if the rain is falling too quickly for the earth or drains to handle. The majority of rivers slope slowly in the direction of the sea and flow quite gently.
Therefore, a river floods gradually since it takes time for rainwater to seep through the earth, into the rivers, and out to sea, giving some notice. The amount of time that passes between a downpour and flash flooding is frequently rather short.
Typically, flash flooding occurs more frequently in areas where rivers flow faster due to their narrowness and steepness. This causes surface overflow, which frequently overwhelms nearby drainage systems and causes flash flooding.
