POONCH/RAJOURI, Jul 25: The State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), in close collaboration with Home Guards and Civil Defence (HG/CD) volunteers, has been conducting continuous search and rescue operations since July 19, 2026, to trace several individuals reported missing following severe flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall across Poonch and Rajouri districts.
Active search drives are currently focused on high-risk locations, including Lower Murrah in Poonch, where teams are searching for five missing persons, and Sangla in Poonch, where three individuals remain unaccounted for. Simultaneously, dedicated search operations are underway in Rajouri district to locate a Public Health Engineering (PHE) Department employee who was swept away by raging floodwaters.
Amid these ongoing search efforts, an emergency was reported from the Buffliaz area of Poonch, where 10 individuals became trapped in a river after water levels surged rapidly due to sudden heavy downpours and strong currents. An SDRF team led by Sub-Inspector Mohd. Ashraf, already deployed for search operations in nearby Sangla and Lower Murrah, responded immediately to the distress call. Reaching the site without delay, the team executed a swift and coordinated rescue maneuver, successfully evacuating all 10 stranded individuals to safety with zero casualties reported.
Multiple SDRF units remain actively engaged along riverbanks, streams, and flood-affected zones, carrying out extensive searches despite continuous rainfall, strong water currents, and treacherous terrain. Operating in close coordination with the District Administration, Jammu & Kashmir Police, and allied agencies to ensure complete coverage of potential locations, officials reaffirmed that search operations will continue uninterrupted until all missing persons are traced.