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Seven months after witnessing the unprecedented floods, Jammu and Kashmir was again in the grip of panic on Monday as several areas of the valley and parts of Jammu were in deluge leading to death of 10 people, including a child, and fears over the fate of seven others.
Process to evacuate affected people was underway as eight teams of National Disaster Response Force were rushed to Kashmir. Armed forces, along with four helicopters, have been placed in readiness for deployment at short notice after local authorities declared a flood situation in the valley.
Promising all help, the central government granted Rs 200 crore as immediate relief as Prime Minister Narendra Modi rushed minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to Kashmir for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and coordinate with state authorities with regard to the requirements.
While making the announcement about Centre's grant, Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed said in the Assembly that the state government has sanctioned Rs 25 crore for Kashmir and Rs 10 crore for Jammu region which also has been affected by flood.
The police said nine people have died while seven others are believed to be trapped under the debris after a landslide brought down four houses in central Kashmir's Budgam district.
The deceased include four women, four men and a child, a police official said, adding efforts are on to identify them. Search is going on for seven others believed to be trapped in the debris of the fallen houses.
Sayeed said there was an ‘unfortunate’ death in Udhampur and there have been some flash floods in Jammu as well.
Due to heavy rains over the past 36 hours, river Jhelum was flowing above the danger mark at several places including Sangam in Anantnag district and Ram Munshi Bagh in the city.
Flood water entered several low-lying areas of Kashmir, including capital Srinagar, leading to panic among the locals for whom memories of the devastating deluge only seven months back are fresh in mind.
Over 280 people had died and tens of thousands left homeless and property worth hundreds of crores damaged in unprecedented floods in the state in September last year.
Incessant rains over the past 36 hours in Kashmir has caused landslides at many places while people from many areas vulnerable to floods have been evacuated to safer places.
Due to heavy rains over the past 36 hours, river Jhelum was flowing above the danger mark at several places including Sangam in Anantnag district and Ram Munshi Bagh in the city.
Flood water entered several low-lying areas of Kashmir, including capital Srinagar, leading to panic among the locals for whom memories of the devastating deluge only seven months back are fresh in mind.
Over 280 people had been killed and tens of thousands left homeless and property worth hundreds of crore of rupees damaged in unprecedented floods in the state in September last year.
Refusing to take any chances this time, people started shifting to safer places. Civil administration and police also asked people living along the banks of River Jhelum to move to safer places.
Rainfall stopped in the city this morning and slowed down in south Kashmir. However, according to Met department heavy rainfall is likely to occur at isolated places in the state over the next few days.
More than 320 families have been moved to safer places in Kashmir valley as water level in river Jhelum was still above the flood level.
Over 250 families were shifted to safer places on Sunday and 80 more families were evacuated today, the police said.
More than 200 structures including 176 houses have developed cracks due to land sinking in Shopian district of south Kashmir, it said.
The heavy downpour has caused fresh landslides along the 294-km Srinagar-Jammu National Highway as the only all weather road link between Kashmir and rest of the country remained closed for the third straight day on Monday.
Authorities have also issued an avalanche warning for 7 districts of Kashmir division and advised people not to move around.
The NDRF teams have been airlifted along with all equipment like communication, rescue and retrieval gadgets as per the standard operating procedures.
Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Sayeed and promised all help from the Centre.
Before leaving for the Valley, Naqvi said Prime Minister Narendra Modi "is also worried about the situation and he is ready and committed to help the people".
"The Centre is committed to provide all help required by the state," he said.
He said there was no need for panic as "our governments, both in the state and at the Centre, are committed to do everything. We will not be found lagging in anything."
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah voiced hope that authorities will take adequate steps to help the people.
"We don't want to play politics on the situation. It has been only 7 months and once again the people are face to face with another tragedy," he told reporters.
The IMD has predicted rains in the next 2-3 days.
With inputs from PTI