REASI: As harsh December temperatures settle down over the upper reaches of Reasi district, dozens of families from Sarh and Bagga Jameslan are facing their fourth month without homes.
Early winter has tightened its grip on Mahore and the surrounding areas, where most of the displaced villagers are now living in small, rented rooms, with relatives, or in temporary shelters after the September 2, 2025, land sinking.
Many of them were rendered not just homeless but also landless in one stroke.
Villagers Survived the Sudden Land Sinking
On September 2, relentless rains lashed Reasi district in Jammu and Kashmir, triggering sudden land sinking that wreaked havoc across two villages, leaving dozens of families devastated.
In Bagga Jameslan, 35 families were affected, with 21 rendered completely houseless and landless as around 104 kanals of land was swallowed by the sinking terrain. Nearby, Sarh village bore an even heavier brunt, where 30 families faced the fury of nature, 19 of whom lost both their homes and land, totaling nearly 118 kanals of land affected.
Among the worst-hit is 35-year-old Jamaluddin Nag, a father of three, whose three-story house in Sarh village was destroyed by the sudden land sinking. The disaster forced him and his family of five to move into a rented home in Mahore.
While talking to Kashmir Times, Nag said, “I had completed this house in 2020 after years of hard work. Everything we built, every brick, every room… it has all vanished in a single day.”
He added, “Our lives, our security, our peace… everything is gone. I feel helpless seeing my children struggle in this small room.”
Nag also spoke about the impact on his children’s education. “My eldest son was preparing for his exams when the rains struck. Now, with no proper study space and constant worry about our future, he is lagging in his studies and totally distracted. My younger ones don’t understand why they had to leave their home. They keep asking when we can go back,” he stated.
He recalled how the family had tried to salvage some belongings before the land fully gave way, but “the mud and sinking earth took everything—furniture, clothes, even our documents. We were left with nothing, but what we wore.”
Homeless With Little to No Support
Reflecting on the trauma, he said, “We are safe now, but safety cannot replace a home. We have no land, no house, and the fear of another landslide haunts us. Rebuilding seems impossible without help.”
He also expressed his frustration over the lack of support, saying, “Even after weeks have passed, I have not received any financial support from the government. We lost everything, including our house, land, and belongings. Yet no help has reached us. It feels as if our suffering has been forgotten, and we are left to fend for ourselves in this rented place, struggling to make both ends meet.”
He said that concerned authorities told him every day that the relief amount of ₹1.3 lakh would be disbursed ‘today or tomorrow’, but it has still not been credited to his account.
“Now I have to pay Rs 4,000 rent every month despite losing everything,” Jamaluddin Nag said, his voice heavy with grief.
“My father suffered a heart attack and passed away this month after witnessing all his property sink into the earth. The loss is more than just material. It has broken our family emotionally. Every day is a struggle to keep my children fed, safe, and hopeful for the future, while I try to figure out how to rebuild even a small part of what we lost," he told the Kashmir Times.
Shabir Ahmad, another resident of Sarh village, is grappling with the devastating aftermath of the September 2 land sinking.
“I lost my house, my land, all my belongings,” he said, his voice heavy with a mix of anger and frustration.
Brief Stay at Makeshift Camps
“No help has reached us from the government so far. We were shifted initially to the two identified relief camps at the Government Middle School, and Panchayat Ghar in the area. But it was impossible to live there?” he exclaimed.
Shabir described the grim reality of those initial days: “For five to ten days, we were forced to stay in schools where students come to study. It was impossible to even sleep properly. The government provided us tents, one for each family, but the tents were so small that even one person could barely fit in.”
He added with visible anxiety, “We felt abandoned. No one came to ask what we needed, or how we were managing. There was no support for food, clothing, or basic necessities. Every day felt like a struggle just to survive.”
After a brief stay in the relief camps, Shabir and his family, along with many others, had no choice but to seek shelter elsewhere.
“Now, we are scattered. Some of us are living in the houses of relatives, some with neighbours, and a few have rented small places. Life has become unpredictable,” he said.
“Every night I worry about the future. How we will rebuild, how we will secure our children’s education, how we will recover from this loss,” he said, listing his endless worries and shaking his head in disbelief.
65 Families Affected, 40 Rendered Houseless, 222 Kanals land Sank in Reasi
Manzoor Ahmad, Naib Tehsildar of Mahore, told the Kashmir Times that a total of 65 families were affected by the land sinking in the two villages, Bagga Jameslan and Sarh, of which 40 families became completely houseless and landless as at least 222 kanals of land completely sank.
He said that 65 families are adversely impacted and 40 of them are completely homeless and landless. The remaining 25 families are partially impacted. Several of them have lost both their homes, land and agricultural fields.
He acknowledged the hardships faced by the residents and said that the administration had initiated relief measures by providing ₹1.3 lakh to each family that lost both their home and land.
He added that around 10 families have not yet received their relief payment and assured that the amount would be credited to their accounts within two to three days.
Between Promise and Action
On September 25, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah conducted an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas in Reasi district and assured that five marlas of land would be allotted to families rendered homeless and landless by the disaster.
He was accompanied by MLA Gulabgarh, Er Khurshid Ahmed, and other senior officials. The Chief Minister conveyed his solidarity with the displaced families and reiterated that their relief and rehabilitation remain a priority for the Government.
While addressing a gathering of affected residents, Omar Abdullah said he had come to personally share their grief and acknowledge the loss of life and property they had endured. He told them that they were not alone during this crisis and assured that the Government would continue its efforts to support their recovery and rebuilding.
“The Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, had assured the affected families that five marlas of land would be allotted to them,” Naib tehsildar said, “but we have not received any written communication regarding this so far. Until now, we have disbursed ₹1.3 lakh to the affected families, and a few pending cases are expected to be settled and payments released within this week.”
MLA Khurshid Ahmed of the Gulabgarh Assembly constituency, while speaking to Kashmir Times, acknowledged the hardships faced by residents who lost their homes and land in Sarh and Bagga Jameslan. He said the affected families were undergoing severe distress and reiterated that the administration was working to provide five marlas of land to each family, as assured by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. He added that the matter would be taken up in the Cabinet in the coming days.
After the floods, the Lieutenant Governor’s administration announced that 1,500 ‘smart houses’ would be built for the flood-hit and border firing victims. Recently LG Manoj Sinha laid the foundation stone for the construction of 388 houses in Rajouri and another 133 in Poonch, the two districts in Jammu’s Pir Panjal region that bore the brunt of Pakistani shelling during ‘Operation Sindoor’.
The Governor also laid the foundation stone for the construction of 449 houses in Kathua and Samba for the flood affected.
Officials in Reasi, however, stated that they do not have any information confirming whether Sarh and Bagga Jameslan villages are covered under this scheme.
Geologist Links Reasi Land Sinking to Limestone Terrain and Heavy Rainfall
Dr Waqar Ahmed, Assistant Professor of Geology at Government Degree College, Udhampur, explained that the land sinking in Sarh and Jamaslan villages of Reasi district is the result of a combination of natural and human-induced factors.
“The soil here is largely limestone, which is cavernous in nature. Over time, caves develop in the limestone, weakening the ground. When this is combined with steep slopes and heavy rainfall, the soil loses cohesion and stability,” he said.
He added, “This year, the region experienced record-breaking rainfall due to the combined effect of western disturbances and the monsoon, exceeding 400 millimeters. The Jammu division has rarely witnessed this in the past century. The rainfall acts as a lubricant, causing the ground material to flow under gravity, which triggers land sinking and landslides.”
He also highlighted the role of human activities in aggravating the situation. “Unplanned construction, slope cutting, and deforestation further destabilize the area. Houses built on weak zones are particularly vulnerable,” he said.
Pointing to the regional geology, he noted, “The presence of limestone and natural springs means the terrain dissolves slowly over time, forming shallow cavities that make the ground susceptible to subsidence. In regions like Reasi and Katra, this combination of factors makes land sinking more frequent.”
On concerns about hydropower projects in the area, he clarified, “While there is a hydropower project on the Chenab downstream, it is unlikely to have a direct impact on the landslides in these villages. The primary causes remain the terrain, rainfall, and local human interventions.”
"Our Village Is There, But We Can’t Go Back"
Three months after the September 2 land sinking, most residents of Sarh and Bagga Jameslan remain away from their homes, living in scattered locations across Mahore and neighbouring villages.
Many displaced residents are now living about 5 to 15 kilometres away from their villages, depending on where they found temporary shelter. Those staying in rented accommodations say the financial burden has added to their already difficult circumstances.
“We visit the village twice a month to see what is left of our land,” said Shabir, a resident of Bagga Jameslan now living in rented quarters in Mahore. “Our entire routine has been disrupted,” he said.
“Here, the children have no place to study, and we have no space to store anything. We are left with almost nothing, and we are still living with nothing.”
No family whose house collapsed has been able to return. Even residents whose homes appear partially intact say they are too frightened to sleep in them.
“We just want stability,” Shabir said. “Until we get land or safe houses, we will not be able to return. Our village is there, but our lives are not.”
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