Rain briefly disrupts relief operations in Kashmir Valley

Srinagar, Sept 14: Relief operations in flood-hit Kashmir Valley were briefly hampered this morning because of rain and cloudy weather. Rain returned to Kashmir after a week of clear weather.

Mild rainfall occurred in many parts of the Valley this morning, triggering fears about more trouble in the area which is already reeling under the devastation caused by incessant rains last week.

The rainfall started at around 8.30 AM but stopped within an hour. In view of the rainfall and dense clouds, IAF halted its flights to ferry relief supplies even though emergency operations of transporting medicines were maintained, IAF officials said.

Normal relief operations by IAF choppers resumed at 11.15 AM, they said. SDM, Srinagar, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah said in the morning that inclement weather will create problems as many people are still on the roads and without shelter.

At some places, people are putting up in tents which are not waterproof, he said.

Around 1.5 lakh people are still marooned in many parts of the Valley after the worst floods in the state in a century unleashed a trail of death and destruction.

PTI