Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, Sept 23: The weather in Valley today improved even as water level in River Jhelum crossed flood level declaration mark while as many houses and diversions were washed away in south Kashmir due to flash foods.
The incessant rains in Valley on Tuesday had raised the water level in streams and other water bodies. Even as the rains stopped today and sun came out but the water level rose and crossed flood declaration level at Sangam (21 feet) in south Kashmir and Ram Munshi Bagh (18 feet) in city here.
Following the crossing of flood declaration level, the Chief Engineer of Irrigation and Flood Control (IFC) Department urged the habitation residing along the embankments of the Jhelum and other streams and low lying areas to remain vigilant.
Due to heavy rainfall yesterday, the water level in all the streams of south Kashmir including Romshi Nallah, Vaishaw Nallah and Lidder increased.
At Laiso village of south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, the heavy downpour triggered flash floods in Vaishaw stream, resulting in washing away of six residential houses and damaging three others. The Army’s 62 Rashtriya Rifles and police rushed to the spot and started to rescue operation. A police spokesman said the affected people were shifted to safer locations.
Since last year, dozens of residential houses have been washed away due to flash floods in the Kulgam villages. It must be mentioned here that Kulgam was the first district in Valley that was hit by floods in 2014.
Besides washing away of residential houses, several diversions at Watoo, Aarigatun and Guddar were also washed away. The diversions at Chandrigam in Tral area of Pulwama district and at Batapora in Shopian district were washed away.
An official of Meteorological Department told Excelsior that the weather in Kashmir valley would be mostly dry till Sunday. “There are least chances of rainfall till Sunday. We may witness only light rain or thundershowers,” he said.
An IFC official said that the water level in Jhelum would also start receding and there is no need to panic. “The rains have stopped and we are expecting that the water would soon start receding,” he said.
In the meanwhile, the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, which was yesterday closed for traffic, also opened today. An official said that the traffic was allowed following improvement in weather. The traffic movement on Srinagar-Leh highway was also allowed today.
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