Jammu and Kashmir battling worst floods in 6 decades, toll climbs to 48
Jammu/Srinagar: 28 more people were killed on Friday in the worst floods in Jammu and Kashmir in nearly six decades. The army joined the relief operations as situation turned grim in the state where the deluge has wreaked havoc, damaging roads, dozens of bridges and buildings and crops.
Incessant rains since Wednesday have worsened the flood situation, leaving 48 people dead till now and disrupting normal life. Schools and colleges across the state have been closed till Monday while universities in Kashmir have suspended all work for two days.
Almost all 10 districts in Jammu region are affected. River Jhelum and many other streams were swollen and had inundated most areas in five districts of Kashmir leaving 10 people dead. Three more districts out of 10 in the Valley have also been affected by the flood fury.
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Jhelum in Srinagar is flowing at 22.40 feet, 4.40 feet above danger mark, as many areas in the summer capital of the state have been submerged.
Leading from the front, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was in flood-hit areas of Srinagar during the night overseeing the rescue operations and visited several affected areas in south Kashmir today.
Omar supervised the evacuation of patients from Bone and Joint Hospital at Barzulla late last night.
19 deaths were today reported from Jammu region apart from recovery of five bodies from yesterday's bus mishap in which 50 members of marriage party were washed away in Rajouri district, officials said.
10 people were killed when a house was buried in a landslide in Thanamandi belt of Rajouri district, a police officer said adding that some more people are missing and operation is on to rescue them.
Two more died in Sunderbani and Darhal belts of Rajouri districts. In Jammu district, bodies of two persons, who were washed away, were recovered from canal here. In Reasi, four persons were killed and one died in Udhampur district.
Four people were today washed away in Kashmir, taking the toll to 10 in the Valley. Three persons were washed in Sukhnaq Nalla in central Kashmir's Budgam district while another youth drowned in Vishnu Nalla in south Kashmir Kulgam district.
With today's deaths, a total of 48 people have died in the state hit by floods and landslides.
Jammu and Kashmir Government has ordered red alert as all the rivers in Jammu region are flowing above the danger mark.
Officials said as many as 60 major and minor roads have been cut off and 30 bridges washed away in the Valley, hampering the relief and rescue operations.
A senior official said this is the worst flood recorded in recent history of the state.
Army has deployed 85 columns (75-100 personnel each) of troops for search, rescue and relief operations in Jammu and Kashmir in a major way and over 2,500 people have been rescued so far.
Army has also despatched two AN-32 aircraft with relief material from its Bhatinda camp in Punjab.
