Flood situation improves in Kashmir

Srinagar, Sep 6 (UNI) The flood situation in Kashmir has improved significantly during the past 24 hours as the water level in river Jhelum was continuously on the decrease.

However, the level in river Jhelum was still flowing above danger mark at all places. The water level was 20.55 ft at Sangam, 20.20 ft at Ram Munshi Bagh here and 17.32 ft at Asham in north Kashmir.

About 500 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 standing paddy and wheat crop in several areas besides about 1100 houses have been damaged in the floods.

The Jammu and Kashmir government has extended the closure of all schools and colleges in affected areas till September 9. Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was continuously monitoring the situation.

At least ten people have been killed in floods in the state. Out of this four died in south Kashmir while six members of a family were killed in a house collapse in Kathua district of Jammu region.

The Sheep Development department has recorded death of 1417 sheep due to the floods.

The Centre on Monday 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, the 300-km Srinagar-Jammu national highway, the lifeline of Kashmir valley, continued to remain closed on the sixth consecutive day today due to shooting stones and landslides triggered by heavy rains at various places.

UNI AG SK BST1539