Flood situation in Kashmir grim; 10 killed

Srinagar, Sep 5: There has been no let up in flood situation in Kashmir which continued to be ''grim and dangerous'' even though the water level in river Jhelum had receded slightly at some points following improvement in weather conditions.

Two more flood-related deaths were reported from south Kashmir, raising the toll in the entire state to ten so far.

The water level in the river Jhelum was still flowing above danger mark at all places. While the level had receded from 31 ft to 26 ft at Sangam, it was on the rise at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar from 19.90 ft to 20.30 ft and at Asham in north Kashmir from 17.12 ft to 17.28 ft.

About 200 villages across the Valley and its thousands of inhabitants have been badly affected by the floods. Many areas have been marooned in Srinagar, Badgam, Anantnag, Pulwama and Baramulla districts even as the rescue and relief operations launched by the state government were going on a war-footing.

The paddy and wheat crop in several areas has also been damaged.

The flood situation was expected to improve as there have been no rains since Sunday evening.

The Jammu and Kashmir government had sought the help of the Army and the Air Force in relief and rescue operations in the wake of the flood situation following heavy and incessant rains in the Valley for three days.

The state government had also closed all schools and colleges in the state for two days. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was continuously monitoring the situation.

At least four people have been confirmed dead due to floods in the Valley so far. All deaths have been reported from south Kashmir.

Two deaths were confirmed by Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir Basharat Ahmed Dhar yesterday. He said both the people died in Anantnag district of south Kashmir. One of them had been identified as Mohammad Chandi of Samba.

Today, a woman died in a house collapse near Damhal Hanjipora and a person drowned in Kulgam area of south Kashmir.

Six members of a family had died and one suffered injuries in a house collapse due to a landslide triggered by heavy rains in Kathel village of Kathua district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.

With this, at least ten people have so far been killed in the entire state due to floods.

The Centre yesterday reviewed the flood situation in Jammu and Kashmir and assured all possible assistance, including financial and logistic support, to the state.

At a high-level meeting in the Home Ministry, which is the nodal agency dealing with the natural calamities, the Army informed that its columns and the Engineering Task Force were stationed in Awantipora and Srinagar for immediate deployment on requisition.

A financial assistance to the tune of Rs 89 crore has been offered to the Jammu and Kashmir government from the Calamity Relief Fund. Of this amount, the first installment of Rs 33.36 crore could be given to the state immediately on submitting the utilisation certificate of the earlier given amount.

Meanwhile, Kashmir continued to remain cut off from the rest of the country via land route for the fifth consecutive day today after the 300-km Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the lifeline of the Valley, was closed due to shooting stones and landslides triggered by heavy rains at various places on Friday.

However, air traffic was normal with all flights operating as per schedule. The highway was expected to be opened later today.

UNI

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