Ladakh facing worst flood situation, seven dead

Leh, Aug 7 (UNI) The flood situation in ladakh region continues to be grim, with more rain forecast for the next few days.

Ladakh is facing the worst flood related crisis in recent memory.

An army spokesman at Udhampur said today the indus river is now swollen and with more rain in the rivers catchment area, most of the villages along the bank are now marooned. Air operations have been severely hampered due to bad weather.

Sources said seven persons, including three army jawans, two army porters in Batalik area of Kargil and two children in Leh have been killed due to the floods.

The army has mobilized its troops at all levels and have evacuated over 500 people. Five person have died due to house collapse incidents and flood.

The army has also established relief camps with about 25 tents each at Angling, Phyang, Spituk, Darchik for the flood affected people providing with food, shelter, clothing and medicial aid.

Three more bridges have been washed away creating more bottlenecks in the communication network. Four more landslides on the Upshi-Manali road have hampered vehicular traffic. The border road organization is working round-the-clock to restore road links.

The army is launching bridges to restore communication on the national highway.

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