2 die in flash floods, livestock perish
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Apr 30: Despite a respite from flood like situation in Kashmir and improvement in weather condition across J&K, Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed for the second consecutive day on Tuesday due to multiple landslides at various locations between Nashri and Banihal.
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Meanwhile, reports said that a youth drowned while crossing a stream at Gadigarh in Jammu and a motorcyclist was washed away in flash flood at Landar in Udhampur district while livestock perished in collapse of a mud house due to landslide in Haveli Poonch, late last night.
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According to SSP Traffic, National Highway, Rohit Baskotra, the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained closed on Tuesday despite intensified restoration work.
“Even as landslides at Dalwas, Hingni Ramsu, Gangroo, Kishtwari Pather and Lower Nachrana were cleared by the National Highway Authority with the help of men and machinery, road restoration work is underway at Mehar Cafeteria Ramban and Magarkot,” he told the Excelsior and hoped that vehicular traffic may be restored by tomorrow.
Due to closure of the National Highway, around 200 Kashmir bound and approximately 150 Jammu bound trucks were stranded between Nashri and Banihal. Besides, around 50 Light Motor Vehicles and a few passenger buses are also stranded on the stretch.
Pertinent to mention that traffic on the 270 km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country, was suspended from both the twin capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar after landslides, mudslides and shooting stones blocked the highway at several places.
Meanwhile, reports reaching here today said that a youth namely Kaushal Kumar, son of Late Bhagat Ram from Gadigarh was drowned while crossing a Nallah that flows alongside the building of the office of SDM Jammu South, last night. His body was recovered this evening after day-long search by the locals and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) team.
Two youth riding a motorcycle were caught in flash flood while crossing diversion at Lander (Ucha-Pul) in Udhampur around 9.30 pm last night. While the pillion rider managed to rescue himself, the motorcycle went missing and the rider is feared dead.
As per reports, Anil Kumar (30), son of Jagdish Raj of Omara Morh Udhampur and Suraj Goswami (31), resident of near PTC Udhampur were on their way to Galiote in Panchari from Udhampur. While crossing a diversion at Ucha-pul, flash flood and land sliding occurred and hit the bike due to which the rider namely Suraj Goswami went missing while pillion rider Anil Kumar received minor injuries, but managed to rescue himself.
On getting information in this regard, Police party led by SHO Panchari Deepak Sharma started searching with the help of locals and SDRF team but body of the missing was not traced till late this evening.
In Poonch district, four school children and two women were rescued by the locals after they were left stranded due to flash flood as they attempted to cross a stream at Kalar Moda village in Mendhar area, last evening.
Another 15-year old boy, namely Mohd Ishfaq, son of Mohd Farooq of Qazikora, was stuck in a stream at Loran. He was rescued by some locals and shifted to hospital.
Livestock, including two buffalos, two oxen and eight goats were perished when mud house of Mohd Razzak collapsed due to landslide at Haveli Poonch, late last night.
Reports from Kashmir said that after drenching the valley for the last few days causing flood like situation, rains stopped today bringing respite to the people with Weatherman forecasting dry weather conditions from tomorrow.
Though the weather conditions improved in Kashmir today, but the Valley continued to remain cut off as the major roads and highways continued to remain closed for vehicular movement for the second day.
Director Meteorological department, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad has predicted a sigh of relief for the people, saying that the weather conditions are expected to remain dry from tomorrow till May 5.
He said that while the weather would remain mostly dry from May 1-May 5, the possibility of afternoon thundershowers cannot be ruled out. Furthermore, he added that there is forecast of light rains again on May 6.
The class work in all the schools remained suspended for a day as precautionary measure due to the threat of floods that loomed large for the past couple of days.
The water level in river Jhelum, other streams and Nallahs, which had increased due to the incessant three-day wet spell in Jammu & Kashmir, also started receding today.
At 8:00 PM, the water level in river Jhelum was flowing at 14.53 ft in Sangam, 4.39m in Pampore, 17.34 ft in Munshibagh and 11.78 ft in Asham.
The other tributaries like Vishow Nallah at Khudwani, was flowing at 4.78 while Rambiyara Nallah at Wachi was flowing at 0.75m. According to the details, Lidder Nallah at Batkoot was flowing at 0.31m while Doodhganga Nallah at Barzulla and Sindh Nalla at Doderhama were flowing at 1.36m and 1.62m respectively.
Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department Kashmir, Naresh Kumar said that with a stop in rainfall for more than 12 hours, the water level in Jhelum and other tributaries except for Asham in north Kashmir has already begun to recede.
“We are in a safe situation, there is nothing to worry about. Although there was no imminent flood threat, caution was taken at full level. Barring Asham in north Kashmir which will also start receding, the water level in all water bodies is already receding,” he said.
In the meantime Srinagar recorded a low of 3.0°C and it was 6.3°C below normal for the city for this time of the year.
Qazigund recorded a minimum of 3.8°C and it was 4.0°C below normal for the gateway town of Kashmir.
Pahalgam recorded a low of 0.7°C and it was 3.7°C below normal for the famous resort in south Kashmir.
Kokernag, also in south Kashmir, recorded a minimum of 2.6°C and it was 5.5°C below normal.
Kupwara town recorded a maximum of 3.6°C and it was 4.2°C below normal there.
Gulmarg recorded a minimum of minus 1.5°C and it was below normal by 5.7°C for the skiing resort.
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