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Over 40 people are missing after a bus carrying a marriage party, including the bride and groom, was washed away in flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on Thursday.
The bus carrying nearly 50 people, mostly members of a marriage party, was crossing the Laam-Darhal-Moushera Road when it got washed away in the flash floods (of Gambhir River), a senior army officer said.
An army unit, which immediately reached the spot after the mishap, rescued four people who had jumped off the bus, he said. Those rescued include the driver and conductor of the bus.
The driver told the army team that there were nearly 50 people in the bus, the officer said. The army has launched an operation to search and rescue the victims, he said, adding that their whereabouts are not known.
Senior Superintendent of Police Mubasir Latiffee, who also rushed to the spot along with a police team for the rescue work, said, "We cannot tell the exact number of people washed away along with the bus."
Meanwhile, a truck was also washed away in flash floods in Noushera of Rajouri district, the police said, adding that the details of the incident are awaited.
A senior officer said 20 people were killed due to floods in Kashmir and Jammu divisions of the state and 50 houses have been damaged. He said that 500 water supply schemes have also been damaged due to the floods.
An official statement said that over 5 lakh sandbags have been kept available at various places by the flood control department for emergency utilisation.
The airforce has also been asked to keep air rescue plan in place, the statement said. It said that various stranded people have been evacuated and the population in the flood hit areas are being persuaded to move to the safer places.
The state administration is on full alert to face eventualities and provide help to the people.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah reviewed the flood situation in the state on Thursday evening.
He directed the officers to give top most priority to safeguarding human lives.
Omar directed for procurement of more boats to be kept available in the submerged areas so that evacuation of marooned population is ensured. He also directed for identifying government buildings, schools and other installations for creating immediate shelter camps for the affected population.
The chief minister was informed that over two hundred villages have been submerged in flood waters in Kashmir valley and the most affected area is south Kashmir. He was informed that hundreds of families from submerged areas have been evacuated to the safer places.
With inputs from Mukhtar Ahmad
Image: Army personnel rescuing flood-affected villagers of Mirbaazar with a rope in Kulgam district after heavy rains deluged the village. Photograph: PTI Photo