44 structures damaged in heavy landslides and rainfall in J&K

Srinagar, March 29

At least 44 structures, including 18 residential houses, were damaged due to landslides caused by heavy rainfall in Kashmir over the past 24 hours, police said on Sunday.

A landslide caused by the rain in Chontinar village of central Kashmir Budgam district destroyed eight residential houses and 10 cowsheds last evening.

At least 26 residential houses were partially damaged by the landslide but there were no reports of loss of life, they said.

The incident has created panic among people about possibility of fresh floods in the valley, police said, adding that the residents of the area were evacuated to safety before the landslide struck.

The rainfall has also forced closure of Srinagar-Jammu national highway due to landslides at some places, an official of the Traffic Department said.

He said the road was closed yesterday for repairs but fresh downpour has resulted in the arterial road remaining close for the second day today.

Kashmir valley has been witnessing heavy rainfall since yesterday, leading to sudden surge in water level of rivers, streams and rivulets, causing panic among the residents about possibility of fresh floods.

The MET office has predicted wet weather over the next six days with heavy downpour expected today and on April 3.

However, officials of the Flood Control department said there was no reason to panic as the water level in River Jhelum was way below the danger mark.

The heavy downpour has inundated many low lying areas of the city including Rajbagh, one of the worst-hit areas in the floods in September last year.

The main road in Rajbagh is covered by more than 18 inches of water while roads in other areas of the city including commercial hub of Lal Chowk and adjoining Regal Chowk are also facing severe water logging problem.

Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Lone said due to technical fault in the electricity supply system, the dewatering operation was delayed.

"The fault in electricity supply has been removed and dewatering has been started. Besides the regular dewatering stations, we are pressing into service fire tenders to dewater the city roads," Lone said.

221 families evacuated

The state government said on Sunday that it evacuated 221 families to safer places due to heavy rains causing soil erosion and landslides triggered by heavy rains in Budgam district of the state.

State Agriculture Minister Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura told the Assembly that due to the continuous downpour various areas of Budgam have been affected by way of land erosion and landslides and 221 families have been shifted to safer areas.

Allaying apprehensions voiced by NC member Mian Altaf Ahmed,  Hanjura said the district administration has taken steps to evacuate families in areas where houses were affected by landlsides or where the threat looms large.

He said the families have been lodged in tents provided by the district administration and shifted to nearby schools and other government buildings in some cases.

The minister said 221 families of Chillan Chotinar, Tilsara, Charar-e-Sharief, Nilnag Nagam, Watkloo, Ladden, Bringan, Nego, Hangoo Suresyar, Kumar Mohalla Nagam, Freswar Khansahib, Shalinar Khansahib, Kristwar Chadoora, Suresyar and Branwar villages have been evacuated.

Out of these, 99 families have been provided with tents, 58 families have been shifted to government buildings and 64 families have been shifted to their relatives, he said.