I was sitting on a bench in front of the Senate House Library of London, when my mother told me over phone from Kashmir that it had been raining for a few days. By the next morning, the continuous showers had become the cause of one of the most devastating floods to hit Jammu and Kashmir.
In times of disaster, information is the most important thread that binds people. In the midst of this horrendous flood of Jammu and Kashmir, the social media has been playing a key role in connecting people with relatives, and keeping them updated.
Around 150 people have died so far in the floods. The Jhelum spilled over its embankments to put much of Srinagar city under water and left thousands stranded ‒ and appealing for help.
Horror from afar
It didn’t take long for Facebook to become the focal point of information from the Valley. From London, I read with horror about the Jhelum flowing above the embankment, making its way towards residential areas like Rajbagh, Lal Chowk, Jawahar Nagar, Maisuma and other parts of the downtown Srinagar. By the end of Saturday night, all of the city seemed to have been submerged.
The floodwater had crossed The Bund that I had often walk through, filling up the roads and lanes. Lal Chowk – the region’s busiest commercial hub – now had water.
A Facebook group called Kashmir Flood Information Channel was launched to concentrate all the messages and updates about people seeking help or looking for family members and friends. In only a few days, it has more than 6,100 members, mostly people like me who are not in the Valley now. Users are posting messages about the whereabouts of their families and friend in the hope that the relief and rescue will arrive, since the government machinery has evidently failed.
A sample message from Naved Qazi, a Kashmiri from Abu Dhabi: “I am worried about my grandparents who are currently in Jawahar Nagar, near the guruduwara, opposite the Farzeen shop. My aunt, who resides at Rajbagh near old Tiny Hearts should be rescued as well. My other aunt is also in a bad situation at Bemina. Please help me with some updates.”
Seeking information
A Doha-based Kashmiri-journalist, Baba Umar, tweeted: “No news coming from #Kashmir. Never ever in my life faced this silence. #KashmirFloods” London-based Kashmiri Novelist, Mirza Waheed tweeted, “Aunt & family trapped in their house in Qamarwari, Srinagar. Spoke to her yesterday. Uncle spoke with her this morning but no contact since.”
Though they describe a situation rife with despair, the continuous SOS posts, appeals for help, updates about the level of water, pictures of the affected locations and videos on the social media have actually been a source of hope. It reminds people that even if official systems seem to have collapsed, they haven’t been abandoned.
That seemed obvious from a tweet by prominent human rights activist, Khurram Parvez. “Srinagar is in panic,” he wrote. “I see people scared, yet concerned. Running for safety, yet offering help to others. Kashmir will live.”
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In times of disaster, information is the most important thread that binds people. In the midst of this horrendous flood of Jammu and Kashmir, the social media has been playing a key role in connecting people with relatives, and keeping them updated.
Around 150 people have died so far in the floods. The Jhelum spilled over its embankments to put much of Srinagar city under water and left thousands stranded ‒ and appealing for help.
Horror from afar
It didn’t take long for Facebook to become the focal point of information from the Valley. From London, I read with horror about the Jhelum flowing above the embankment, making its way towards residential areas like Rajbagh, Lal Chowk, Jawahar Nagar, Maisuma and other parts of the downtown Srinagar. By the end of Saturday night, all of the city seemed to have been submerged.
The floodwater had crossed The Bund that I had often walk through, filling up the roads and lanes. Lal Chowk – the region’s busiest commercial hub – now had water.
A Facebook group called Kashmir Flood Information Channel was launched to concentrate all the messages and updates about people seeking help or looking for family members and friends. In only a few days, it has more than 6,100 members, mostly people like me who are not in the Valley now. Users are posting messages about the whereabouts of their families and friend in the hope that the relief and rescue will arrive, since the government machinery has evidently failed.
A sample message from Naved Qazi, a Kashmiri from Abu Dhabi: “I am worried about my grandparents who are currently in Jawahar Nagar, near the guruduwara, opposite the Farzeen shop. My aunt, who resides at Rajbagh near old Tiny Hearts should be rescued as well. My other aunt is also in a bad situation at Bemina. Please help me with some updates.”
Seeking information
A Doha-based Kashmiri-journalist, Baba Umar, tweeted: “No news coming from #Kashmir. Never ever in my life faced this silence. #KashmirFloods” London-based Kashmiri Novelist, Mirza Waheed tweeted, “Aunt & family trapped in their house in Qamarwari, Srinagar. Spoke to her yesterday. Uncle spoke with her this morning but no contact since.”
Though they describe a situation rife with despair, the continuous SOS posts, appeals for help, updates about the level of water, pictures of the affected locations and videos on the social media have actually been a source of hope. It reminds people that even if official systems seem to have collapsed, they haven’t been abandoned.
That seemed obvious from a tweet by prominent human rights activist, Khurram Parvez. “Srinagar is in panic,” he wrote. “I see people scared, yet concerned. Running for safety, yet offering help to others. Kashmir will live.”