121 Infantry Brigade HQ washed away in flash floods in Kargil

Kargil, Aug 11 (UNI) The 121 Infantry Brigade headquarters at Baroo, about a km from here, was washed away in a flash flood this afternoon, official sources said.

They said a sudden flash flood in a Nala near Iqbal bridge washed away more than two dozen concrete bunkers, housing the headquarters of the 121 Infantry Brigade.

We could see bunkers collapsing and windows and doors being washed away in the flood water, an eyewitness Ghulam Nabi told UNI.

He said a senior army officer was filming the flash lood while some civlians were taking photograph with the help of their mobile phones.

He said besides windows and doors, other equipment was also washed away in river Soroo.

Sources and eyewitnesses said they could see computers and other articles being washed away by the flood water.

The flood water had also entered the room where arms and ammunition were stored, sources said.

Sources said out of 30 to 35 bunkers and other structures, about ten had collapsed.

However, there was no immediate report of any loss of life as the army personnel in the buildings ran for safety after they saw currents of flood sweeping everything that cames in the way.

The army has cordoned off the entire area. However, heavy rains in the entire belt this evening were hampering the rescue operation.

UNI BAS VD VC2103