J&K flood (Pics): Water destroys border fences; renders defence vulnerable

Akhnoor, Sept 10: As many more victims of the Jammu and Kashmir flood await help, 49,000 people have already been air-lifted and rescued. Led by the Indian Army and the Airforce, the rescue teams have more things to worry about when this gets over. With a week gone, the stench of rotting goods is unbearable and so are the cries of the people waiting for help on rooftops.

The fundamentalists and the separatist jihadists watch the show, but the Indian defence forces have a himalayan task at hand-saving lives and watching the border. IN fact, it has become difficult by the day. The bunkers at Akhnoor will tell you the entire story. Just 80 kilometers from Jammu, the bunkers here are completely filled with water, rendering the soldiers shelterless and vulnerable to enemy bullets. The army positions here are just 6 kilometers away from the Pakistani border.

The jawans wait for the sun so that the sogginess and the extreme discomfort inside goes and they can shift in temporarily. In others, where the water has already resided, there is a thick covering of mud and slush, which make them unusable.

That is not all. While protecting their weapons and ammunitions, the soldiers are concerned about the damaged fence that runs along the border with Pakistan. This area, in particular is considered to be the den of militant activities.

Colonel Pradeep Semwal, Commanding Officer of the unit here reveals how they spend sleepless nights patrolling the borders for any possible infiltration []

He said,"The night is like a day for me. Frantic measures are being taken to ensure that no advantage is being taken by terrorists to cross the border. The Army has pulled out more or less the last bits of its reserve and is trying to plug these breaches in the fence."

He further added,"The damage is quite severe both in terms of fence and infrastructure. All our posts and infrastructure are damaged."

Five days of incessant rains has brought the floods in over half a century in Jammu and Kashmir. While latest reports suggest that 47,000 people have been rescued, lakhs are still stranded on rooftops for the past 3 days.

An aerial view shows buildings partially submerged

An aerial view shows buildings partially submerged in floodwaters in Srinagar on Tuesday.

People watch a truck that was covered by a landslide

People watch a truck that was covered by a landslide after flash floods near Jammu on Tuesday.

Submerged in floodwaters

An tourist is airlifted from the roof of a five-story hotel, four of which are submerged in floodwaters, in Srinagar on Tuesday.

A tourist cries as she is airlifted into a chopper

A tourist cries as she is airlifted into a chopper in flood-hit Srinagar on Tuesday.

Hotel in a flooded locality in Srinagar

A woman is airlifted from the roof of a of a five-story hotel in a flooded locality in Srinagar on Tuesday.

Army men at rescue work in a flooded locality

Army men at rescue work in a flooded locality in Srinagar on Tuesday.

Army men rescuing people in a flooded locality

Army men rescuing people in a flooded locality in Srinagar on Tuesday.

Army soldiers and SDRF staff rescue a boy trapped

Army soldiers and SDRF staff rescue a boy trapped in the flooded areas along the Tawi River in Jammu on Monday.

Army soldiers and SDRF staff rescue a boy trapped

Army soldiers and SDRF staff rescue a boy trapped in the flooded areas along the Tawi River in Jammu on Monday.

A damaged house at the flood hit banks

A damaged house at the flood hit banks of Tawi river in Jammu on Tuesday.

Debris of a flood devastated house on the banks

Debris of a flood devastated house on the banks of Tawi River in Jammu on Tuesday.

Relief material for flood affected people of Jammu and Kashmir

BJP Delhi Pradesh President Satish Upadhyay with senior leaders J P Nadda, Prabhat Jha and others flagging of a truck carrying relief material for flood affected people of Jammu and Kashmir, at the party office in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Kashmiris hang on to a tree

Kashmiris hang on to a tree to prevent being swept away by floodwaters in Srinagar on Tuesday.

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