Poonch Village Sinks, 50 Homes, 3 School Buildings, a Mosque Damaged

 A catastrophic land sinking event has wreaked havoc in Kalaban village, located on a hillside in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district, damaging nearly 50 structures, primarily residential homes, officials reported on Tuesday. The disaster, attributed to excessive rainfall, has also affected three school buildings, a mosque, a graveyard, and the main road connecting the village, leaving approximately 700 residents in distress as the ground continues to shift beneath them.

J-K Minister Javed Ahmad Rana, whose portfolios include Jal Shakti, Forest, Ecology and Environment, and Tribal Affairs, visited his ancestral village of Kalaban in the Mendhar constituency to assess the crisis. “This land sinking began a few days ago, and similar incidents have been reported across Poonch, Rajouri, and Kashmir, likely due to heavy rainfall,” Rana told reporters. He noted that over 25 homes have been severely damaged, with another 20 developing dangerous cracks, rendering them uninhabitable.

Rana assured affected families of immediate relief and rehabilitation, stating, “I have directed the local administration to arrange temporary settlements and provide aid as per norms. A proposal for permanent resettlement is also being prepared.” He promised adequate compensation for the losses and emphasized the need for improved drainage systems to prevent such disasters, urging civil society to report shortcomings in developmental projects like road construction.

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Local resident Rashid Chohan, one of the many victims, made a heartfelt plea for government assistance. “We’ve lost concrete homes worth crores, built with our life’s savings,” he said, commending the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) for their efforts in evacuating residents from collapsing structures. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Imran Rashid Kataria, who is overseeing the response, confirmed that the priority is to relocate affected families to safer areas as the land continues to sink.

The ongoing crisis has heightened fears among Kalaban’s residents, with the village’s infrastructure crumbling and no immediate end to the geological instability. Authorities are closely monitoring the situation, working to provide alternative accommodations and stabilize the region. The incident underscores the vulnerability of hilly areas to environmental challenges, particularly in the wake of extreme weather events, prompting calls for stronger infrastructure planning to safeguard communities in Jammu and Kashmir.

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