Flood situation in Jammu and Kashmir continues to remain grim. Around 150 people have lost their lives and many have been marooned in the worst floods the state has witnessed in nearly six decades.
At least seven people were killed and about 20 went missing after a landslide, triggered by heavy rains, buried 24 houses in Udhampur district. DIG, Reasi-Udhampur range, Gareeb Dass said, a joint rescue and relief team was air-dropped at the place to carry out rescue operation.
The flood waters from major rivers and streams have damaged many buildings, including hospitals, and snapped road and communication links, cutting off many areas. Communication system has been disrupted. The state government has ordered closure of all schools till Friday.
While the situation eased a little in Jammu, large areas in Kashmir were enveloped in flood waters following incessant rains.
The Army cantonment, Civil Secretariat and the High Court in Srinagar have been inundated. Transmission at Radio Kashmir Srinagar has also stopped.
Army and the Indian Air Force have stepped up relief and rescue efforts, with the weather showing some signs of improvement. The Air Force has pressed 29 planes and helicopters into service, set up a disaster monitoring cell and alerted all its bases to a high state of readiness.
Seventy boats and five teams of the National Disaster Response Force have been sent for rescue and relief operations. The decision was taken by Home Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday after reviewing the flood situation in the state.
The Home Minister has also appealed to all social organizations and NGOs to mobilise their resources to bolster the rescue efforts.
Over 13,000 people have been rescued by the army and the IAF from various areas. Many people are still trapped in upper stories of buildings in low-lying areas, including in Srinagar. Reaching out to jawans in marooned Border outposts and fencing areas along the Indo-Pak border, IAF choppers evacuated a total of over 180 BSF and Army jawans from various forward posts in Jammu sector.
Mata Vaishnodevi shrine yatra remained suspended with authorities saying the pilgrimage would resume only after the weather improves.
The weatherman has forecast no major rainfall in the Valley as well as in Jammu in the next four days.
Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal has directed power authorities to restore electricity in Jammu and Kashmir. In reply to a question on disrupted power infrastructure in the state, he said all efforts are being made to ensure that power supply in the affected areas is restored at the earliest. He said, a special team has already been dispatched to the state to restore power transmission lines.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the flood situation yesterday and termed it a national level disaster. He announced an additional 1,000 crore rupees as special assistance for flood relief and rehabilitation. The Prime Minister also called upon other states to pitch in with relief assistance in whatever way they could.
Mr. Modi also offered all possible assistance to Pakistan for carrying out relief operations in the flood-ravaged Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. He wrote a letter to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and offered assistance. Mr. Modi said, it is a matter of great distress that the retreating monsoon rains have played havoc in many parts of the two countries. He said, while reviewing the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, he was informed that the damage to life and property is equally, if not more, severe in areas across the Line of Control as well.
Pakistan also condoled the loss of lives in Jammu and Kashmir and offered help to India in whatever way possible to mitigate the suffering of the people affected by the floods in the state. The Pakistan Prime Minister carried out an aerial survey of the affected areas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir which is also facing the flood fury. Foreign Office Spokesperson said in a statement that the government and the people of Pakistan express deepest condolences over the loss of precious lives of our Kashmiri brethren on both sides of the Line of Control caused by torrential rains and flash floods.
