NAROWAL: The recent flooding in Sambrial has severely damaged the local graveyard of the Bhopalwala village destroying 148 graves.

As per details, heavy rains in India-occupied Kashmir caused a high-level flood in the Aik drain in the Sambrial tehsil three days ago.

The overflow in the Aik drain also caused a breach in the rainwater dam at two different places, resulting in the floodwater entering nearby villages. The Bhopalwala village graveyard was also flooded during the breach. After the tide passed, Irrigation department teams repaired the breach.

However, graves had been severely damaged due to three to four feet of water getting accumulated in the graveyard. The Bhopalwala cemetery caretaker Faqir Sain said that floodwater entered graves and shrouds, bones, coffins and concrete slabs had been exposed.

He said that currently the graves could not be repaired due to the unavailability of soil and lack of funds.

Locals said that they were heartbroken to see the condition of the cemetery after the flood. They said that graves of their beloved family members had been destroyed due to a lack of drainage in the cemetery.

They requested the Sialkot district administration to repair the graves.

Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2026