GOOD NEWS: Water level starts receding
BAD NEWS: 2 flood deaths reported in Srinagar and Kulgam
Photo/Javed Khan
Srinagar, Jun 30: Two floods deaths were reported today even as the authorities sounded a flood alert in central Kashmir as well though with the improvement in weather the water level has started receding in the river Jhelum and its tributaries in south Kashmir.
Intermittent rains since past few days have created flood situation in Kashmir with all the major rivers and streams, particularly in south Kashmir flowing above danger mark.
The authorities had yesterday issued a flood alert in south Kashmir. Today, they put out an alert for low-lying areas in central Kashmir, including Srinagar, and asked people to remain prepared for evacuation.
The water level in Jhelum river has started receding both in south Kashmir and Srinagar, said an official.
He said that the water level has started to come down both at Sangam and Ram Munshibagh, though marginally.
Schools across the Valley were also closed today owing to the flood scare.
“The gauge at Ram Munshi Bagh crossed the flood declaration of 18 feet and was flowing at 20.87 feet at 10 am,” an official of the Irrigation and Flood Control department said.
He said the people living in areas along the embankments of Jhelum river and other streams and in low-lying areas of central Kashmir were advised to remain vigilant.
“The staff deputed on flood duty in central Kashmir is directed to report to their sectors and beats,” the official added.
Deputy Commissioner Srinagar, Syed Abid Rasheed Shah said the people living in low-lying areas and embankments of river Jhelum in Srinagar were requested to be alert and prepared for evacuation.
“We have issued a flood alert for low-lying areas of Srinagar,” he said.
In south Kashmir after the water level crossed the flood declaration level of 21 feet at Sangam in Anantnag district of south Kashmir, following which the flood alert was sounded.
While the water level at Sangam at 10 am this morning was 23.06 feet – still above the critical mark – the water has started receding there. At 9 am the water level there was 23.16 feet.
Kashmir Valley experienced rainfall over the past three days and the downpour intensified in many parts, including the summer capital of the state, yesterday.
The rising water levels induced fear among the Valley residents of a re-run of 2014 floods that caused widespread devastation and left over 300 persons dead.
Meanwhile two flood related deaths were reported from Kulgam in south Kashmir and Srinagar in central Kashmir.
In Kulgam, one Tariq Ahmad Dar of Checkpora was swept away by the gushing waters of Nallah Vishav, reports said.
A teenager was feared drowned in a flood channel in Srinagar while trying to rescue a dog, the police said.
Asif Ahmad Malik (18), was trying to rescue the dog from the flood channel near Aalochibagh, when the incident happened, a police official said, an operation to find him is on.
3 die in rain-related incidents in Jammu
Jammu: Three persons, including a woman, were killed and nearly a dozen houses damaged in rain-related incidents in different districts of the Jammu region, officials said today.
Harbans Lal (45) was washed away by flash-floods in a stream near his house at Natulphal village of Khour in the Akhnoor sector here this afternoon, they said.
The officials said Lal was crossing the stream when a sudden surge in the water level due to incessant rains caught him.
The body of the deceased was recovered and handed over to his family, they said.
A woman, identified as Jameela, was killed when a tree got uprooted due to heavy rains and fell on her temporary shelter at Kalamsatherdhar village of Kishtwar district, the officials said.
Jameela’s daughter was also injured in the incident and was shifted to a hospital, they said.
A 22-year-old man, Anzar Ahmad, was also washed away by flash-floods in a stream at the Surankote area of Poonch district yesterday and his body was recovered, the officials said.
Nearly a dozen ‘kacha’ houses were also damaged, while 28 cattle also perished in the heavy rains in different districts, especially in the areas in the Chenab Valley over the past three days.
Several footbridges, including two in Udhampur district, were also washed away by the strong currents as most of the water-bodies across the region are flooded.
Six men, who got trapped in the middle of the Tawi river near Pukroo here last night due to sudden rise in the water, were rescued, the officials said.
Some machines, including a dumber, were damaged at the site of the 48-MW hydel project at Kalnai, a tributary of the Chenab river in Doda district, besides an ordinary bund meant to divert river water was damaged in the flash-floods.
The revenue teams are accessing the damage caused due to the flood like situation, the officials said.
Monsoon rains hit the region on Wednesday and was continuing intermittently since then.
The hilly areas of the Jammu regions, including Ramban, Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch, Rajouri and Reasi districts, experienced heavy rains over the past two days.
One killed, four injured in landslide in Anantnag
Anantnag, June 30: A 60-year-old man was killed and four members of a Bakerwal family severely injuries when landslides triggered by rains hit their temporary tent-shelters in the forests of Thimdan Behak in Utterso in Anantnag district of south Kashmir on Saturday evening.
A local news agency, GNS, while quoting a police official from Utterso Police Station confirmed that five persons of Bakerwal families were trapped after their temporary tents came under the landslide at Thimdan Behak. Soon after receiving the information about the incident, a police team along with local volunteers immediately rushed to the spot and rescued all the five including a minor girl who were later shifted to Sub-District hospital Shangus, he said.
“It took ten hours to the force to reach the spot and get back,” he said.
However among the five rescued persons, one 60-year-old man, Mohammad Shafi Paswal, S/O Late Kamal Din Paswal was declared brought dead on arrival, he said.
He said that the four other injured are being treated in the hospital and have been identified as Khalid Ahmad Paswal (12) S/O Nazir Ahmad Paswal, Fhoola Begium (55) wife of Late Doda Paswal , Nazia Akthar (3) daughter of Nazir Ahmad Paswal , Nazira Begium (38) wife of Nazir Ahmad Paswal.
“A case under section 174 CrPc has been registered and further investigations initiated in this regard,” the officer added.(GNS)
