Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, July 17: Three people were killed and two others were missing in last evening’s cloudburst that caused devastation in Central Kashmir’s district of Ganderbal leaving at least 250 houses and other structures damaged and washing away a portion of Srinagar-Leh National Highway.
The rescuers including police, Army and Border Roads Organization resumed the operation at the first light to search for the missing ones.
Dead body of Momin, 10, son of Tariq Ahmad Baba of Kullan and an unidentified body of a female were recovered during day long operation by the rescuers. Body of Iqra, 15, daughter of Abdul Majid Najjar was recovered last evening. Four persons were injured in the cloudburst.
The rescuers were looking for the bodies of Rusksana, 32, wife of Tariq Ahmad Baba of Kullan and Aqib Ahmad Baba, 4, son of Tariq Ahmad Baba of Kullan.
At least 250 structures including residential houses were damaged besides standing maize crop over 150 kanals of land has also damaged in the village.
The Border Roads Organization (BRO) was clearing the slush from the National Highway and a portion of the highway has been turned into running stream.
Officials said that it will take several days to restore the National Highway as it has suffered major damage in the area due to cloudbursts that led to flash floods.
Men from the Border Roads Organization are working with Army engineers and Rashtriya Rifles soldiers to facilitate the Amarnath pilgrimage.
The Army has opened a transit camp at Sonamarg for civilians who were forced to leave their homes. It has also formed 11 mobile teams to provide food and medical supply to the poor.
In the meantime, cloudburst and heavy overnight rains wrecked havoc in Kralpora area of Chadoora in Budgam district.
Though there were no reports of any casualty, the residents of the area said that the cloudbursts caused extensive damage to scores of residential houses, besides destroying crops worth lakhs of rupees.
The villagers said that cloudburst struck at around 8.30 pm and it created panic among the people. The water forced its way into several residential houses.
On Sunday, two of a family died in Pahalgam and two others of another family went missing when a cloudburst struck Pahalgam area of South Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
Yesterday there were multiple cloudbursts in Kashmir valley leading to flash floods.
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