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Flood alert: Jhelum crosses danger mark

FARZANA SYED. Dated: 9/4/2014 10:31:57 AM

SRINAGAR, Sep 3: A flood alert was sounded today in Kashmir as water level crossed the danger mark in rivers and nallahs at several places due to incessant rains. Two persons were drowned in Budgam district. Kunzar bund collapsed and seven labourers were feared trapped in stone-crusher.
The Srinagar-Jammu and Srinagar-Leh roads were closed for vehicular traffic movement due to landslides.
Dozens of families were rescued from inundated areas of south Kashmir. The state government ordered the closure of schools and colleges for tomorrow in Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian, Anantnag and Kulgam districts.
“The water level measured at Sangam till 7 PM was 21.30 feet which means it has crossed the danger mark of 21.00 feet. However the water level at Ram Munshi Bagh and Asham was still under control. At Ram Munshi Bagh it is 11.60 feet while as the danger mark is 18 feet. At Asham the water level measured till 7 PM has been 6.50 feet while as the danger mark is 14 feet,” an official at police control room revealed.
Reports said two persons were drowned in Abora area of Budgam district. An official told a local news agency, GNS, that the two persons identified as Abdul Rashid Gojri and Ghulam Ahmad Bhat drowned after they slipped off from a bridge and fell into a river.
A police spokesman said Kulgam police launched a rescue operation when an entire village at Banjarpora, Aakhran was inundated with flood water and more than 35 families including 25 members of Bakarwal alongwith their flocks were trapped in it.
“Rafting Boats from Pahalgam were called in by police and district administration to evacuate the trapped people including 26 children. The rescue operation is still continuing, DC Kulgam and SP Kulgam are personally supervising the operation on spot,” he added.
The spokesman said that eight families consisting of 37 members including children were rescued by police when they were trapped in flood in Birigam, Devsar. The rescued families have been relocated to the Panchayat Ghar temporarily. SHO Devsar, Kulgam SI Manzoor Ahamd alongwith his police party rushed to the village as soon as reports of water surge came and evacuated the flood hit families. The police party is still on job as more people in the area are trapped.
In Anantnag, police launched a rescue operation at village Fathepora where five persons are trapped in flood water. Efforts are on to rescue them. At Ganjiwara Anantnag, police rescued a woman who was swept in flood water in Jehlum.
Meanwhile, a youth who was swept away by the gushing water in nallah Sindh, today was rescued by police, civil administration with the assistance of Army. Manzoor Ahmad Ganie son of Asadullah Ganie resident of Check Watal, Lar was also caught in the gushing water in nallah Sindh at Sindbal and was trapped on landmass in the nallah while collecting wood from the nallah. However, police and civil administration with the help of Army launched a rescue operation and the person was saved from the nallah.
Chief engineer, Irrigation and Flood Control, Mir Javid Jaffer said, “We have sounded the flood alert and directed all zonal flood committees to be present in their respective control rooms. Flood threat is certainly there. However, there will be improvement in the situation in case the rains stop.”
The chief engineer further said that till now no diversion of water has been made anywhere in the Valley. “But given the situation we have sounded an alert. We are not going to wait for flood to be declared, and we have activated the flood committees in all districts who are coordinating with their respective Deputy Commissioner’s office,” he informed.
“We are ready to deal with any contingency and we have kept our men and machinery ready,” Jaffer said, adding that 11 lakh sand bags have been kept ready to deal with any contingency.
"People living in temporary sheds along the banks of Jhelum have been asked to shift to safer places," the officials said.
The state meteorological department issued a fresh warning regarding the flood threat in the valley. Department of irrigation and flood control revealed that water level at Sangam river has crossed the danger mark.
People across the city are facing huge inconvenience in moving from one place to another as roads in most of the commercial and residential areas stand submerged. Incessant rains have resulted in heavy water-logging along the city.
According to reports, main roads and link roads across several residential and commercial areas have been inundated due to the increasing water level. Residential areas including, Natipora, Chhanpora, Mehjoor Nagar, Hyderpora, Peerbagh, Rambagh, Batamaloo, Lal Bazaar, Eidgah, Qamarwari, Bemina etc have been heavily waterlogged.
Areas across city centre Lal Chowk including Residency road, M.A road, Jehangir Chowk have also been inundated. The situation along the city hub Lal Chowk became all chaotic as the traffic service was disrupted due to heavy water logging. People complained of facing huge inconvenience because of non availability of public transport.
Director MET office revealed that due to continued western disturbances over J&K, rains may continue for next few days.
“The present weather condition may result in heavy and thunder showers at most of the places in Kashmir division and moderate to heavy rains at few places across Jammu and Ladakh divisions. This situation may continue till the sixth of this month. Moreover, snowfall may also occur at few places along the higher reaches in valley. Incessant rains can cause landslides at various places particularly along Srinagar Jammu National highway,” director MET department Sonam Lotus said
Meanwhile, the Srinagar-Jammu national highway has been closed for vehicular traffic due to the possibility of landslides at various places along the highway. Officials at MET department said the highway was closed this morning because of occurrence of landslides at some places.
“Weather is likely to remain cloudy for the next few days. There has been no letup in rainfall due to continued western disturbances for past couple of weeks. Persistent rainfall has also caused a huge dip in temperatures. Srinagar recorded a maximum temperature of 19. 9 degrees Celsius on September 2. Season’s lowest temperature of 12.8 degrees Celsius was recorded on August 28,” an official at MET department said.