3 dead in rain-related incidents in Jammu, flood alert in central Kashmir

Srinagar, June 30

Three persons, including a woman, were killed and nearly a dozen houses damaged in rain-related incidents in different districts of the Jammu region, officials said on Saturday.

Meanwhile, intermittent rain continued in Kashmir on Saturday with authorities sounding a flood alert in central Kashmir, even as water levels started receding in the southern parts of the Valley.

Three persons, including a woman, were killed and nearly a dozen houses damaged in rain-related incidents in different districts of the Jammu region, officials said on Saturday.

Harbans Lal (45) was washed away by flash floods in a stream near his house at Natulphal village of Khour in the Akhnoor sector here this afternoon, they said. 

The body of the deceased was recovered and handed over to his family, they said. A woman, identified as Jameela, was killed when a tree got uprooted due to heavy  rain and fell on her temporary shelter at Kalamsatherdhar village of Kishtwar district, the officials said.

Jameela's daughter was also injured in the incident and was shifted to a hospital, they said.

A 22-year-old man, Anzar Ahmad, was also washed away by flash floods in a stream at the Surankote area of Poonch district yesterday and his body was recovered, the officials said.

Nearly a dozen 'kacha' houses were also damaged, while 28 cattle were perished in the heavy rains in different districts, especially in the areas in the Chenab Valley over the past three days. 

The authorities had on Friday issued a flood alert in south Kashmir. On Saturday, they issued a flood alert for low-lying areas of central Kashmir, including the summer capital here, and asked the people to be alert and prepared for evacuation.

The schools across the Valley were closed for Saturday in view of the inclement weather.

“The gauge at Ram Munshi Bagh crossed the flood declaration of 18 feet and was flowing at 20.87 feet at 10 am,” an official of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department said.

He said the people living in areas along the embankments of the Jhelum river and other streams and in low-lying areas of central Kashmir were advised to remain vigilant.

“The staff deputed on flood duty in central Kashmir is directed to report to their sectors and beats,” the official added.

Srinagar Deputy Commissioner Syed Abid Rasheed Shah said the people living in low-lying areas and embankments of the Jhelum in Srinagar were requested to be alert and prepared for evacuation.

“We have issued a flood alert for low-lying areas of Srinagar,” he said. 

The water level crossed the flood declaration level of 21 feet at Sangam in Anantnag district of south Kashmir following which the flood alert was sounded.

While the water level at Sangam at 10 am on Saturday was 23.06 feet–still above the critical mark–the water has started receding there. At 9 am the water level there was 23.16 feet.

The Kashmir Valley experienced rain over the past three days and the downpour intensified in many parts, including the summer capital of the state, on Friday.

The rising water levels induced fear among the Valley residents of a re-run of 2014 floods that caused widespread devastation and left over 300 people dead.

An official of the MET office said the weather was likely to improve on Saturday. PTI