Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Sept 5: Parts of Kashmir valley were inundated today in the worst floods in nearly six decades with five more deaths reported today and damage was caused to majority of the roads, over two dozen bridges and standing crops worth hundreds of crores of rupees. However, Weatherman has forecast improvement in weather from this evening bringing respite to the people.
The Director Meteorological Department in Srinagar, Sonum Lotus, said that weather will improve from this evening and further improvement will be from Saturday morning.
At least three persons were washed away today in Sukhnaq Nallah in central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Reports said that a group of people were trying to cross the Nallah when a strong current washed away at least three people.
Another youth was drowned in Vishnu Nallah in South Kashmir Kulgam district when a bridge was washed away by strong currents of swollen nallah today.
A man was killed at Latiwaza area of Ganderbal district today when an electric poll that was uprooted due to flash floods fell on him. The deceased Mushtaq Ahmed Tantray son of Sanaullah Tantray had gone to his fields to assess the flood situation when the incident took place.
There was chaos in Pantha Chowk, Mehjoor Nagar, Chanpora, Natipora, Lasjan, Barzullah, Ram Bagh, Baghat, Bulbubagh, Hydepora, Bemina and many other parts of Srinagar due floods.
At Firdous Abad Fruit Mandi Parimpora, at least 300 families were trapped in water. However, residents said nobody from the administration and the Government visited the area.
Most of the shops in city centre Lal Chowk in Srinagar remained closed while thin movement of traffic was observed on the roads throughout the day.
Several areas of Budgam, Beerwah Magam and Chadoora are inundated under water. People allege that administration failed to provide them assistance. In Narbal entire village was inundated after water in flood channel rose and Ferazpora Nallah breached at several places flooding dozens of villages.
The flood washed away NS Bridge connecting in Uri. Jabla Bridge, 3 kilometers away from Uri town that connects Srinagar with Muzaffarabad was also washed away. Due to the destruction of the bridge, scores of vehicles including Army convoys were stranded on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road.
People residing near Uri I and Uri II dams were shifted to safer places after water started entering into these villages. The villages of Salamabad, Kalgai, Jhulla and Dachi villages were shifted to safer places.
Four houses were damaged after they collapsed due to flash floods at Salamabad Uri. However, police rescued all the family members and shifted to them safer places.
The Central Industrial Security Forces (CISF) camp located at Bela in Uri was washed away creating panic among the CISF personnel. Flood water also made its way inside Sub-District Hospital Boniyar and authorities shifted all the patients to safer places.
In Pattan area Trikolbal, Ghatgopalan, Khoi Sultanpora, Hanjivera Payeen, Nooripora, Gund Khawaja Qasim, Kanturbough, Malmou, Arampora, Bedbugh, Habak and Tengpora, Malbuchan were submerged in water and 26 houses collapsed in Ghatgopalan village. However, no loss of life was reported from any part of the town.
Reports said that scores of houses have been damaged due to flash floods in Tungiharan, Archandrahama, Agarkalan and Kungamdara areas of Pattan area.
Many villages in Anantnag district continued to be cut off due to damage to bridges in floods. Dozens of villages in Sangam including Marhama are still submerged. Authorities evacuated hundreds of villagers Bangidar, Buhram and other areas. Authorities pressed dewatering pumps into service to drain out the water from the roads.
In Anantnag town, KP Road are still submerged in floodwater. Various area of the town including Mattan Chowk, Dangerpora, Mehandi Kadal, Lal Chowk, Janglat Mandi, Iqbal Market, Laizbal, Anchidora, SK Colony, Naibasti and Achabal Adda.
In Pulwama, at least 150 sheep belonging to Abdul Hamid Chopan and Farooq Ahmed Chopan died due to land slide in Seer Jagir area of Tral town of Pulwama district. Flood threat still loomed over scores of hamlets in District Pulwama including Gulzarpora, Halmula, Sethar, Kaichbehkut, Chersu, Sail. The adjoining villages of Kakpora, Awantipora, Pampore and Tral were still submerged in water for the consecutive day.
Reports said that people already evacuated from their houses have taken shelter in Schools and Panchayat Ghars.
Reports said that flash floods created havoc in different parts of South Kashmir’s Shopian district. The livestock of nomads residing in the upper reaches of the district were reportedly washed away. Police said that 400 people were rescued from Rakh Litter, Wachi and Zainpora villages of the district.
Police rescued a shepherd, his wife along with their two sons from Gumri area near Zojilla pass in Ganderbal district when they came under a land-slide.
Army personnel from 13 RR swung into action after Kanyari village in Bandipora District submerged into water. Army used rescue boats and evacuated the hundreds of residents to safer places.
An Army official said that all the residents were shifted to Degree College Sumbal and proper food and other necessary items were supplied to the affected people. The soldiers from the same unit launched rescue operation in Banyari village of the district Bandipora and evacuated hundreds of villagers to safer places.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Rohit Kansal, IGP Kashmir AG Mir and other officials visited several flood affected areas of Srinagar city.
They supervised the rescue and relief operations. These officials visited various areas including Lasjan, Mehjoor Nagar, Bemina, Barzullah, and exhorted the field officers to provide all possible assistance to the affected people.
A Police spokesman said here that about 400 people were rescued by Police in Rajpora Shopian from villages Rakh Litter, Wachi and Zainapora along with their cattle and have been shifted to safer places.
The spokesman said that whole Kanyari village about 150 families is being shifted to Degree College Sumbal. Vehicles of 13-RR and police are being used in the rescue operation. Police said that in Kokernag Anantnag, 14 families comprising 96 family members were rescued at Mati Bidhar, Kokernag and have been shifted to safer places.
The spokesman said that Police and Army launched a rescue operation at Hygam where water depth was about seven feet. Boats were pressed into the service and about 300 men, women and children were rescued in this rescue operation.
“In Handwara, over 20 families from village Check Audoora and Kutlari have been shifted to safer areas by police”, the spokesman said.
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