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Massive rescue Ops on, lakhs still stranded in Valley

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 9/10/2014 9:46:00 AM

SRINAGAR, Sep 9: Mammoth multi-agency rescue efforts were underway in Jammu and Kashmir today to rescue lakhs of people trapped in flood-ravaged areas, with IAF choppers and transport aircraft undertaking non-stop sorties overnight to carry men and relief material to submerged parts.
Rescue teams today focused on the inundated city of Srinagar and south Kashmir belt where an estimated four lakh people are believed to be trapped in floods which have claimed nearly 200 lives in the state.
They said a massive rescue and relief operation is on in Kashmir Valley with more helicopters and rescue material including boats pressed into service.
30 sorties of IL-76 and AN 32 have been undertaken to Srinagar overnight to carry men and relief material, boats cutters and other equipment besides huge quantity of medicines and water bottles.
Speaking about the rescue efforts, Army Lt Chetan said, "We are rescuing 10-15 people in every round we make per boat. We make 50-60 rounds per day. We have all equipment to rescue people. We will move out only after rescuing everybody".
Lt Gen D S Hooda, General-Officer-Commanding of the Army's Northern Command had said yesterday that the focus will be now on Srinagar.
The heavy floods triggered by torrential rains have snapped Valley's telecommunication links with the rest of the country.
BSNL has launched an operation on a war-footing with Army and IAF to restore mobile services through satellite network and the telecom network is expected to be partially restored today, officials said.
To provide relief to the displaced, 68 camps have been set up in Jammu.
Seven helicopters have been pressed to ferry relief material to Rajouri, Poonch, Reasi, Mahore, Doda, Kishtwar belts, officials said.
The Centre has rushed more National Disaster Response Forces (NDRF) teams equipped with boats and other flood relief equipment to Kashmir Valley. Naval commandos have also been deployed for the first time.
Army, Air Force, NDRF and state agencies have so far rescued more than 25,000 people and lodged them in higher places in the Valley.
Boats have been pressed into service in many flooded parts to rescue residents huddled on rooftops and upper floors of their houses.
Meanwhile, the pilgrimage to Vaishno Devi shrine in Reasi district was on with over 25,000 people offering prayers since yesterday.
Efforts are on to restore helicopter services to the cave shrine, Das said.
GoC Lt Gen Subrata Saha said rescue operations continued throughout the night and 996 people were evacuated from the marooned areas from 8 PM last night to 6 AM.
The weather situation is improving and the water level has receded in south Kashmir, he said.
"The weather has cleared and the intensity of the helicopter operations has picked up. In Srinagar, the water level has receded by 1.5 to 3 feet at some places but we are noticing an increase in water level on the northern side," the Army officer said.
"The water level is not significant in Baramulla as it is just three feet. We are taking precautionary measures in conjunction with state police and others," he said.
The officer said the strategy is to deal with Srinagar from two directions - North and South.
"We had 996 people evacuated from 8 PM last night to 6 in the morning. The cumulative now is 21,007," he said.
The Army has set up camps where people who have been evacuated are kept for 12 to 24 hours and given basic essentials. They are then transferred to relief camps set up by the state government.
Two teams of NDRF equipped with 30 boats today reached Srinagar as the force launched "intensive" operations to rescue people marooned and stranded by floods and rising waters.
National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) chief O P Singh said that 30 boats have been airlifted from Tamil Nadu's Arrakonam and have reached Sringar today along with a 100 personnel strong contingent of the force to undertake and bolster the ongoing rescue operations.
"We are going to conduct intensive rescue operations from today. The fresh addition of men and material will aid our teams in rescuing more and more people stranded by floods," Singh said.
He said these teams will first be deployed to rescue people from Badamibagh area of Srinagar.
A total of 10,470 people have been rescued by the NDRF till now as over 150 boats and other critical equipment has been lowered down in the flood affected areas, he said.
A US national was among seven foreigners rescued by the Army and Air Force from flood-hit north Kashmir today.
The US national has been rescued and ferried to Srinagar airport, Army officials said, adding that he will be flown to Delhi.
Army also rescued six Pakistani nationals from flood-hit area of north Kashmir and shifted them to safer areas, they said.
The Pakistani nationals were visiting Kashmir on a permit.
Seventy five of 549 tourists from Karnataka stranded due to devastating floods in Jammu and Kashmir have been rescued so far, the state government said here on Tuesday.
Karnataka government has also asked the people to provide information on those who have not been traced, the state Revenue Department said. Two officers deputed by the state, Ramandeep Chowdary and J S Walia, had already reached Srinagar and are monitoring the rescue operations, the department said in a release.
It said the officers are equipped with mobile SIM, battery and power bank.
It said if the name, age and other personal details were given to the disaster management Helpline of the Department, 1070 and 080-22340676, steps would be taken to trace them.