A sudden spike in the Jhelum River’s water level has caused chaos in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, with Pakistan claiming that India has allegedly released water from the Uri Dam without warning, according to reports. The abrupt discharge triggered a water emergency in PoK’s Hattian Bala district, forcing residents along the riverbanks to flee to safer ground. India’s action sparked heightened tensions between the two neighbouring countries, with Pakistan denouncing it as a breach of international norms and the Indus Waters Treaty. India suspended the IWT on April 23, citing the terror attack in Pahalgam in which 26 people were killed by terrorists. In Muzaffarabad, the capital of PoK, and Chakoti, local officials blared warnings through loudspeakers, urging residents to evacuate as the water level surged rapidly. “We had no warning. The water came rushing in, and we’re struggling to protect lives and property,” said Muhammad Asif, a resident of Dumel, a village on the riverbank in PoK. A district government official in Muzaffarabad issued a brief statement advising citizens to stay away from locations close to the Jhelum River. “Due to India releasing more water than usual into the Jhelum river, there is moderate flooding,” added the spokesperson. Moderate flooding in low-lying areas of Kohala and Dhalkot has reportedly caused livestock losses and crop damage, though the full extent of the damage remains unconfirmed. The PoK government has accused India of deliberate “water terrorism”, pointing to the lack of prior notification as a breach of the Indus Water Treaty, a 1960 agreement brokered by the World Bank to regulate shared river waters. The treaty mandates that both nations share information on water releases to prevent downstream harm. In Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, officials prioritised resident safety, with the Hattian Bala administration establishing temporary shelters and deploying rescue teams. “We’re doing all we can, but the scale of this crisis is overwhelming,” said District Commissioner Bilal Ahmed. Authorities advised residents to steer clear of riverbanks and avoid fishing or grazing livestock nearby. Meanwhile, Indian officials across the border have remained tight-lipped, neither confirming nor denying the release. Some Indian media outlets, however, claim the discharge was a routine dam operation necessitated by heavy rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir.