MUZAFFARABAD: All government and private schools across Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) will remain closed on August 15 and 16, 2025, due to severe weather conditions, including heavy rains, flooding, and landslide risks.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Department of AJK issued an official notification confirming the closure. It stated:
“Secretary Elementary and Secondary Education has approved the closure of all government and private educational institutions in Azad Kashmir on August 15 and 16, 2025.”
The decision comes in light of a worsening weather forecast, which warns of rising water levels in rivers and drains and a heightened risk of landslides, especially in mountainous and low-lying regions.
Earlier, the Elementary and Secondary Education Department, Poonch, had announced the closure of educational institutions on August 15 in response to the deteriorating weather. Additionally, Assistant Commissioner Haveli Sarfraz Shad confirmed that all schools, both government and private, in Jhelum Valley District would remain shut on August 15 due to the risk of landslides and blocked roads.
These precautionary measures follow devastating cloudbursts that have wreaked havoc across AJK in recent days. Several areas have suffered infrastructure damage, with bridges swept away, road access cut off, and homes destroyed.
In Muzaffarabad’s Naseerabad tehsil, a powerful cloudburst led to a flash flood that tragically killed six members of the same family. In Bagh, continuous heavy rainfall has caused rivers and streams to overflow, posing additional danger to nearby settlements. The Bhimber Nullah in Samahni is also experiencing high-level flooding, raising concerns among local authorities.
Residents are urged to remain indoors, avoid travel, and stay informed through official weather updates and emergency alerts.
