Landslide kills 15 sheep in Budgam’s Waterhal

Srinagar, May 28: A sudden landslide triggered by intense rainfall and strong winds struck the Waterhal area of central Kashmir’s Budgam district late Monday evening, killing at least 15 sheep and causing significant distress to local shepherding families.
The owner of the livestock said that the incident occurred just as they were preparing for their annual migration to forest pastures. “The timing of the landslide has added to our hardship, disrupting our plans and inflicting economic loss,” he said.
He added that the downpour had saturated the soil on a hillside, causing it to give way and send debris crashing down onto the grazing grounds where the livestock was resting.
“This is not just livestock, these sheep are our livelihood. We were just days away from moving to the highlands,” said one affected shepherd.
“Out of 16 sheep buried under the debris, we managed to retrieve only one sheep alive, the rest were dead,” he said.
Local authorities visited the site shortly after the incident and are currently assessing the damage. Officials have assured that relief measures and compensation for the affected families will be initiated soon. [KNT]