Rajnath Singh assures all help to flood-hit J&K; visit cancelled

New Delhi, Sep 4: Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday reviewed the flood situation in Jammu and Kashmir and assured Chief Minister Omar Abdullah of all necessary help for relief operations even as inclement weather forced him to cancel his visit to border areas in the state.

The Home Minister had a telephonic conversation with the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister who apprised him of the flood situation in the state.

Expressing grief over the loss of precious lives in the floods, the Home Minister assured the Chief Minister of all necessary help to the state, a Home Ministry official said. National Disaster Response Force teams have been dispatched to Jammu and Kashmir to assist the local administration in search and rescue operation in Rajouri district where a bus carrying 50 passengers has been washed away by flash floods.

The Home Minister instructed the agencies to launch search and rescue operation, the official said. Meanwhile, Singh has decided to cancel his visit to the border areas in the state due to incessant rains and floods.

The Home Minister was scheduled to visit forward areas in Jammu region for two days beginning tomorrow to assess the situation there after continuous firing and shelling from across the border killed at least three people, injured 50 others and damaged many houses.

PTI