SRINAGAR: Five days of torrential rains which triggered worst flooding in last 50 years have left at least 120 people dead so far and caused widespread destruction across Jammu and Kashmir. However, the weather office said on Saturday the “worst is over”.
Tens of thousands of people were forced to leave their houses and take shelter at safer places as the flood fury continued across Kashmir Valley with no let up in the rains for the fifth day today, officials said.
Flood fury continued to inflict colossal loss of human life and property while incessant rains resulted in the disruption of normal life.
Due to flood furry, power and water supply has been severely affected in various areas of Kashmir.
SOUTH
In Jammu region, 11 more deaths were reported on Saturday.Seven persons died in two house collapse incidents in Udhampur district.
Five members of a family were killed and two went missing when a house collapsed in Rakha Jaganoo area.
Two children died and their mother was critically injured when their house collapsed in Rakh batla belt in Udhampur.
At least 11 Army personnel from 50 RR, including an officer were washed away in Sambora Pampore area of Pulwama district when a breach occurred in the embankment of Jehlum river near Kadlabal Pampore.
Soldiers were engaged in a rescue operation when the incident took place, officials said adding seven soldiers were rescued and efforts were on to trace other soldiers.
Army officials said that a column of Army operating at Kakapora of Pulwama District itself came under flood waters Saturday. They were moving in a boat to place of safety when it capsized along with a number of soldiers. A helicopter based rescue mission was launched to rescue the stranded personnel, however, bad weather prevented execution of the mission and finally boats were used to reach them. All but two soldiers were rescued.
Thousands of people in hundreds of villages, especially in the south Kashmir districts of Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian and Pulwama, have abandoned their homes and livestock to move to safer places.
All inter-districts road connectivity has been snapped as the flood waters washed away bridges and breached roads in the Valley.
More than 500 drinking water schemes have been affected. Electricity supply to most areas remained suspended.
In view of the incessant rains in Kashmir and increase in water level in river Jhelum and other rivers and water bodies, the government Saturday issued fresh warning to the people living in the vicinity of these rivers to immediately shift to the safer areas. This is necessary for the safety of lives in view of the prevailing flood situation, an official spokesman said.
In South Kashmir flood furry continued to wreak havoc as more villages came under water on Saturday. People in worst hit areas cried for help but nobody from the government came forward for their rescue. At least 35 houses submerged into water at Gulbugh Ratnipora in Pulwama district while people mostly children inside them cried for help whole day. Local population came to the rescue of the children who were evacuated and shifted to safer places. Hundreds of houses came under water while dozens of them collapsed in Gooripora, Awantipora, Sail, Chersoo, Donigund, Beig Gund, Padgampora, Batagund, Bargam, Nawdal, Chandrigam, Aaligund and Arpal.
13 houses constructed under IAYS collapsed at Beighgund Tral in South Kashmir while dozens of houses also suffered damages at Aripal Tral. Chandrigam bridge connecting scores of village with Tral was washed away by the speedy water currents.
At least 22 houses collapsed in Sambora, Patalbagh, Haqiwara and Galandar areas of Pampore town when there was sudden breach in the Jehlum embankment.
People spent their day in open while most of the affected people have erected ordinary sheds on saffron land. They alleged that administration made no arrangements for them. A police official, who wished not to be named, told CNS that no boats are available with the police as a result they are unable to reach out to the affected people.
The power supply in South Kashmir districts was also snapped while communication network too collapsed.
Scores of villages in Anantnag, Kulgam and Shopian districts are still submerged in water. The Wuranhal and Gur area in Khanabal Anantnag were inundated on Saturday after the flood waters entered the area.
The rescue operations from civil and police administration including Army continued in affected areas while Army said that due to inclement weather it was unable to press choppers into service. Reports said that whole population of Padgampora Pulwama had taken shelter in a masjid waiting for the help from the army and administration.
GANDERBAL
Due to cloud burst in Bota Kulan area of Ganderbal district, the water level of Nallah Sindh increased considerably prompting authorities to shift all the people residing on the embankments in Sonamarag to safer places. In the same locality, there was breech in a dam while the gushing water flooded the fields damaging the paddy crop. Administration shifted the people to nearby forests.
The district administration assisted by the army evacuated hundreds of people from the area after the cloudburst in the Sonamarg mountains.
“Since today (Saturday) morning, the water level in the Sindh Nallah has risen by over six feet. We are now dealing with an emergency situation,” an official said.
“The Wayil bridge on Sindh Nallah has been closed to traffic,” the official said.
Reports said flood waters had already entered some villages in the district because of the swollen Sindh stream.
In Kangan area various bridges were washed away in Rawadi Gund, Satru and Tanga Chhatar. The people who were shifted to safer places alleged that administration did not make any arrangements for them.
Adjoining areas in tourist resort Sonamarag including Wishansar received two feet of snowfall.
Hundreds of livestock were killed in the same area while number of villages including Akhal, Chervan, Binibagh submerged into water. The footbridge at Iceland Park near Sonamarag collapsed due to increasing water level in Nallah Sindh.
NORTH
In Kupwara and Uri, the sun was out for the whole day while authorities were on job to restore the connectivity in Uri where a bridge was washed away on Friday.
Reports said in Baramulla, Sopore, Pattan and Tangmarag residential houses, school buildings and masjids have suffered extensive damage while standing paddy crop has been worst hit all across North Kashmir.
In Tangmarag area floods wreaked havoc by claiming the lives of hundreds of animals and destroying paddy crops. Eyewitnesses said that dozens of villages in Tangmarag including Ganipora, Kasaimohalla, Hajibal, Lalpora, Mamoos, Kulhuma, Shrai, Terekpora, Karhom, Kharpora, Raitenpora, Bongam, Chanpora, Devpora, Dardpora and Tumbarhom are under water and scores of house have been damaged.
Reports further said that flood threat was looming large in localities alongside the Nallah Kehmil, Lolab Nallah, Nallah Khorhama, Nallah Kalaroos, Nallah Hayhama and Nallah Kohru.
These nallas are overflowing due to heavy rains.
Other areas that face the flood threat are Kulangam, Wudhpora, Chogal, Unisoo, Shartgund, Langate Kohroo, Awatkul, Arampora, Nutnussa, Bramrie, Check Drugmulla, Pushwari, Padergund, Hanjipora, Bohipora Kupwara, Ghoos, Bedibera, Shumeriyal, Kanthpora-B and Potushay.
Reports said that water was flowing over nearly half a dozen bridges, including that of Sulkoot, Bhatnaad, Shalgund, Malgund, Shumeriyal and Kalaroos villages of Lolab assembly segment and a diversion bridge on Handwara Baramullah road at Batgund.
Sudden disruption of roads connectivity has restricted the movement of people at Kulpora Sulkkoot, Dal, Madmadav, Rangdar, Lushteyal Tawheed Mohala, Shumeriyal, Bhatnaad, Gratnaad, Shrant, Dhoban, Malgund Khorhama, Ophen, and Gundmachar areas.Reports further said that many schools in these areas are closed from the past few days.Many villages including, Bangergund, Padergund, Bohipora, Arampora, Mattipora, Jagarpora, Bramrie, Wudhpora, Kulangam, Nutnussa, Shumeriyal, Khumeriyal and Regipora were partially submerged as last reports poured in. Deputy Commissioner Kupwara along with civil and police officials today visited various flood affected areas of the District including Bhipora, Aloosa, Sholora etc to take stock and supervise the rescue and relief operations.
Around 20 villages in Kupwara have been affected by flood and people in many villages have been taken to safer places. Boats have been utilized and kept ready to evacuate marooned populations besides thousands of sand bags have also been utilized for embankment of flood water.
When contacted Deputy Commissioner Kupwara Itrat Hussain confirmed the crises in Lolab valley and said that administration was on the job to restore the essential services.
He appealed people living in land slide prone areas like Karnah, Keran and Machil to take extra precautions while venturing out.
SRINAGAR
Chaos and confusion prevailed in Srinagar city where flood threat is still looming. Hundreds of residents of Mehjoor Nagar and adjoining areas were seen keeping strict vigil over the water level at Padshahibagh flood channel embankment while the areas like Bemina, Lasjan, Pandhreten, Pantachowk were still submerged in water.
HIGHWAY
The 300-km Jammu-Srinagar Highway remained closed for vehicular traffic for the third consecutive day Saturday due to landslides at various places. More than 1000 vehicles were stranded on the Srinagar-Jammu highway while Border Roads Organisation (BRO) said it was facing difficulties in clearing the road due to incessant rains.
GOOD NEWS
Director Meteorological Department Sonam Lotus said that weather would improve from tomorrow (Sunday) onwards.
“The worst is over. There would be improvement in weather across Jammu and Kashmir from Saturday evening…,” Sonam Lotus, director of the local Met Office, said.
Jammu and Kashmir will have clear weather for the next one week, he said.
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