Heavy rains submerge camping site in Sonamarg

Sonamarg, Aug 28: A camping site in Sonamarg was submerged on Wednesday after heavy rains triggered a sharp rise in the water level of the Sindh River in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.Muddy water gushed into the camping site at Gadibal Sonamarg, inundating tents and damaging belongings. Campers were forced to vacate the area in haste as the river overflowed. “We were taken by surprise when the water level started rising rapidly. Within minutes, the entire campsite was under the water,” said one of the campers.Another camper, distressed by the losses, said, “We had to leave everything behind and rush to safety. The government should assess the damage and compensate those who have lost their equipment.”Locals said the sudden flooding was due to continuous downpours in the upper reaches, which swelled the Sindh River.Officials confirmed there were no casualties or injuries, adding that the situation is normal.Meanwhile, in Ladakh’s Kargil district, the Union Territory Disaster Response Force (UTDRF) mounted a high-risk rescue operation on the Nun Kun Summit Trek after nearly 40 mountaineers were trapped by fierce snowstorms and freezing temperatures.One of those pulled to safety was a foreign climber, Cedric, who had developed altitude sickness and frostbite. He was immediately shifted for medical care.UTDRF personnel said they had to negotiate blinding snow, steep icy slopes, and near-zero visibility to reach the stranded group. Witnesses praised the effort as “extraordinary”, adding that the swift action helped avert what could have been a disaster.