The Centre has assured all support to the Jammu and Kashmir government to overcome the difficulties and help relief and rehabilitation of the affected population of the State.

After reviewing the prevailing flood situation in Jammu and Kashmir at a high level meeting with Chief Minister and other state administration officials in Srinagar today, Home Minister stressed the need to strengthen and widen the rescue and relief measures put in place to provide necessary succor to the flood-hit population.

Addressing media persons at Jammu this afternoon, Mr. Singh said around 25,000 villages have been affected and over 450 villages have been submerged besides more than 100 people have lost their lives in flash floods so far.

Rajnath Singh accompanied by Union Minister of State in PMOs Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, directed the State authorities to forward comprehensive memorandum of losses to the centre at the earliest. The Union Home Minister arrived Srinagar this morning to get appraisal of the situation that has risen due to incessant rains resulting into devastating flood particularly in Kashmir Valley and some districts of Jammu Division.

The Chief Minister briefed Home Minister about the flood situation and the measures taken by the State Administration to safeguard the lives and evacuate people from the submerged areas. The immediate need of 25,000 tents and 40,000 blankets was put forth in the meeting with the need of its procurement at the Central level and early dispatch to the State.

Later, the Chief Minister drove Union Home Minister to the flooded areas in upper Srinagar to get visual appraisal of the devastation of flood and the difficulties people are facing in the current hour of crisis.

Indian Air Force mounted IL-76 sorties and pressed into action two AN-32 aircraft to airlift National Disaster Response Force teams and equipment from Bhatinda to Srinagar and Jammu Air Force Bases in the past 48 hours.

The HQ Western Air Command has opened a disaster monitoring cell that is coordinating the efforts between all its bases including Srinagar, Udhampur, Jammu & Sarsawa apart from fixed wing effort from other bases.

The IAF Command has alerted all its bases to a high state of readiness to respond to the emerging situation.