In Jammu and Kashmir, the flood situation continues to be grim. Agencies have put the death toll around 200.
Massive rescue operations are on to save thousands of people trapped in flood affected areas.
Indian Army has rescued and evacuated over 21000 people trapped in flood waters all over including Kashmir. A Defence Ministry press release said that the army units rescued six thousand and sixty people from Srinagar itself.
It has intensified its efforts over last two days with additional rescue and relief resources getting inducted from Chandigarh, Delhi, Jodhpur and Chennai. Over 50 aircraft of Air Force and civil aviation were flown in with relief material.
Areas that are most affected include Rajbag, Jawahar Nagar, Girji Bag, Shivpora, Batwara, Indranagar, Ram Munshi Bag, and other adjoining areas. sixty seven boats with rescue teams are operating in the affected areas.
Our Srinagar correspondent reports that Indian Air Force Choppers and transport aircraft have been undertaking non-stop sorties overnight to carry relief material to submerged areas.
30 Sorties were undertaken by Air Force planes throughout the night to Srinagar to distribute relief materials including boats, equipments, medicines and water bottled.
Air India has also earmarked two planes for relief operations. Correspondent reports two more units of Army and National Disaster Response Force, NDRF have air dropped relief in Udhampur where 30 people are reported missing after a landslide hit the area.
However, the situation in the rest of Jammu has stabilised. Meanwhile, BSNL is trying to restore mobile services through satellite network on a war-footing with Army and Air force. Communication network is expected to be partially restored today.
Jammu and Kashmir government has directed all deputy commissioners in the districts to assess the damages. Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Shant Manu has directed the deputy commissioners of the districts to assess the damages immediately.
Mr Manu along with IGP Jammu, Rajesh Kumar conducted an aerial survey of Poonch and Rajouri districts to assess the damages caused in both districts due to flash floods and heavy rainfall.
He also convened a meeting with Deputy Commissioners of two districts and took stock of the arrangements being made by the district administration for the flood-hit families.
The Deputy Commissioners of both the districts have been asked to ensure all basic facilities like meals, safe shelter,etc. for the flood victims.
The affected families also met the Divisional Commissioner and apprised him about their problems. The commissioner assured them all possible efforts would be made to mitigate their problems.
