J-K floods: Rajnath Singh calls up CM Mufti; promises all help to tackle situation
New Delhi/Srinagar: Home Minister Rajnath Singh Monday spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and conveyed to him that relief materials are being air dashed to the flood-affected valley in the shortest possible time.
During the telephonic talk, the Chief Minister briefed the Home Minister about the prevailing flood situation in Kashmir valley and the steps being taken for rescue and providing relief to the affected people.
Read: Jammu and Kashmir flood: Two houses sink, 16 feared trapped; 100 NDRF personnel rushed to Valley
Singh assured full central assistance to tackle the flood situation and conveyed to Mufti that relief materials are being airlifted to the valley in shortest possible time to help the state government in rescue and relief operations, official sources said.
4 dead, fate of 13 others unknown
Witness to unprecedented devastating floods only seven months back, Jammu and Kashmir was in the grip of panic today as several areas of the valley and parts of Jammu were in deluge caused by rains due to which four people have died and fate of 13 others was unknown.
As authorities declared a flood situation in the Kashmir, the Centre and the state government swung into action, with eight teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) being rushed to the valley to help in rescue and relief.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 32 crore -- Rs 22 crore for Kashmir and Rs 10 crore for Jammu region which also has been affected by flood, Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed told Assembly in Jammu after visiting affected areas of Srinagar.
Read: Centre to send 8 more NDRF teams to assist the flood situation in Kashmir
Sayeed said one person died and 10 others are trapped in the debris of a house which collapsed in Laldan area of Budgam district of Kashmir valley due to floods.
"We hope and pray that all of them survive. As of now we are not in a position to confirm either way," he said.
Police later said that three women have died while 13 other people are believed to be trapped in the debris after a landslide brought down four houses in Budgam.
Sayeed said there was an "unfortunate" death in Udhampur and there have been some flash floods in Jammu as well. We are watching the situation," he said.
The Centre assured all help to the state government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi rushed minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to the valley for on-the-spot assessment and coordinate with state authorities with regard to the assistance required.
Due to heavy rains over the past 36 hours, river Jhelum was flowing above the danger mark at several places including Sangam in Anantnag district and Ram Munshi Bagh in the city.
Flood water entered several low-lying areas of Kashmir, including capital Srinagar, leading to panic among the locals for whom memories of the devastating deluge only seven months back are fresh in mind.
Over 280 people had been killed and tens of thousands left homeless and property worth hundreds of crores of rupees damaged in unprecedented floods in the state in September last year.
