Srinagar: After Pir Panchal’s Banihal and Chenab Valley’s Thatri, the valley of Kashmir is now reporting land sinking, with at least six residential houses damaged in the Rainawari area of Srinagar city on Monday.
According to reports, several affected families have been evacuated from Khawaja Pora in Rainawari.
Locals in the area noticed cracks on Eid day (June 17). “On the first day, the Tehsildar and local police came and ordered evacuation, declaring our houses unsafe, but since then, no other officials have visited us. We feel abandoned,” a local said.
Some families, unable to afford alternative accommodations, are compelled to remain in the damaged houses, which poses serious risks, he said.
“We need officials to come and evaluate the situation. Our homes are damaged, and our future is uncertain,” said another resident.
In February 2024, over a dozen residential houses and a mosque in Garsoo village of Doda district developed cracks due to land sinking. This unsettling event began with landsliding, causing widespread panic among residents of this remote village along the Doda-Kishtwar stretch of National Highway-244.
Similarly, in July 2023, major cracks were reported on the riverside road in Batengoo, Anantnag district, sparking fear among the locals. The cracks, initially barely visible, widened over a few days, threatening to cause the road to collapse into the Jhelum River.
In April 2023, the Halmathpora area of Kupwara saw cracks forming on the Tingshore hill. The cracks, which damaged several tin sheds, were followed by land sinking, leading to fears of a potential hill collapse. As a result, many families relocated to safer areas.
In April 2024, over 65 houses were damaged in Pernote village of Ramban district, where 74 families were forced to leave their homes without any assurance of safety, leaving their belongings behind and facing an uncertain future.
In February 2023, the Daksar neighborhood of Gool’s Dalwah area in Ramban district experienced chaos as residents moved their valuables and livestock in preparation for an anticipated disaster, abandoning their ancestral homes and farmlands.