Flash floods hit J&K’s Surankote belt: Schools closed

Jammu, Aug 01: Flash floods triggered by heavy rains hit areas of Surankote town in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Monday, prompting authorities to shut educational institutions and sound an alert, officials said. According to officials, heavy overnight rains in the hilly areas of the Surankote belt triggered flash floods, with huge volume of water entering into houses and shops, news agency PTI reported.

The Army and police pitched in to help the aggrieved residents. Reports said many houses, shops and vehicles were damaged in the floods. Senior district officials reached out to the people of flood inundated areas. Authorities also issued advisories to people to stay at home and not venture close to rivers and 'nallahs' in the wake of the threat of flash floods.

"All schools and educational institutions have been closed," an official said. Meanwhile, traders of Beopar mandal protested over the authority's failure to build a new sewerage system in the region. Officials said exact details of the loss are being ascertained.