Floods ease in some parts of J&K

The flood situation in the upper reaches of Kashmir valley eased on Wednesday, while it continued to be grim in Srinagar and other places as Jhelum river breached at Gandbal point flooding Padshahibagh and adjoining areas, officials said.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad visited the flood-hit areas of Lasjan and Gandbal, including Padshahibagh, on Wednesday morning, officials said.

Azad took stock of the situation and oversaw the arrangements made by the administration, they said.

All residents of Padshahibagh in Srinagar have been shifted to safer places as the river crossed the danger mark at around 11 pm on Tuesday night at Zarikanl-Gandbal, they said.

The water level at upstream Sangam in Anantnag district receded by nearly a feet on Wednesday morning, as there were no fresh rains.

The water level had crossed danger mark of 22 feet at Sangam on Tuesday night but it receded to 21.20 feet at around 2 am on Wednesday.

However, it remained at 17.40 feet downstream at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar, officials said.

Several low-lying areas in the city were water logged due to rains.

Meanwhile, police rescued 30 families of four villages in Kupwara district where water had rushed to the residential areas, they said.

Due to water logging, 15 families of Wodhpora and Bhatpora and 15 families in Dalgate Mohalla and Mir Mohalla have been rescued and lodged in nearest school building by the police, Superintendent of Police, Handwara, Haseeb Mughal said.

Mughal described the situation in the affected villages including Vadpura, Bhatpora, Magam, Branipora, Gund, Chowgal, Par Chowgal, Kitura, Khora, Hanjshat, Kalam Chakala, Batgund and Tulwani as grim.

"Due to abrupt increase in the water level in river Jehlum, its tributaries and nallahs, which has touched the alarm level, declaration of flood duty has been necessitated," Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control (Kashmir) G M Dar said.

He said people residing in low lying areas and near the banks have been asked to immediately shift to safer places to avoid any damage to life and property.

The divisional administration, especially flood control and urban environmental engineering departments, have been fully geared up to meet the threat of floods, they said.

Boats have been dispatched in advance to various flood prone areas of the valley, they said.

Twelve zonal flood control units have been set up in the valley. State Road Transport Corporation has kept trucks ready to ferry the boats and sand bags to the affected areas, he said.