Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 13: The flood threat in Kashmir valley has ebbed as the water level of Jhelum has started receding in South Kashmir but it still flows above danger mark in Srinagar.
The incessant rains, which lashed Kashmir valley since yesterday morning intermittently, led to increase in the water level of river Jhelum and other streams. The rains also triggered flash floods in south Kashmir streams leading to washing away of diversions at Batapora in Shopian, Batagund and Chandrigam in Tral and Rohmoo in Pulwama.
At 6 pm today, the water level at Sangam was 20.60 feet, below danger mark, and 19.35 feet, above danger mark, at Ram Munshi Bagh. “The water level at Sangam has receded and at Srinagar, the level is stable. The situation has started to normalize as there have been no fresh rains in south Kashmir,” the Chief Engineer of Irrigation and Flood Control (IFC), Javaid Jaffer, told Excelsior.
He said they had issued alert after the water level at Sangam had crossed 21 feet mark yesterday. “We had asked people living along embankments to remain alert,” he said.
The top official attributed the increase in water level to heavy rains and cloud bursts in South Kashmir parts including Pahalgam and Kokernag.
Following a breach in river Jhelum, the water entered into at least 20 houses at Khankhah Bagh locality of south Kashmir’s Pampore Town of Pulwama district. The flood water inundated residential houses and their compounds as well as nearby saffron fields.
This is not the first time that Khankhah Bagh locality was inundated, locals said. “Recently, the area was inundated after incessant rains led to Jhelum breach,” they said.
Director Meteorological Department, Sonum Lotus, said the weather would improve in region from today. “There is no further forecast of rain till 16th of July,” he told Excelsior.
Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was closed for vehicular traffic following landslides. Following the closure of highway, the authorities diverted vehicles of Amarnath piligrims towards Mughal Road.
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