NH blocked for 10 hrs, roads washed away
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, July 20: While Police and SDRF teams rescued at least 10 persons from flooded Ujh, Basantar and Tawi rivers as heavy rain lashed J&K, the traffic on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained suspended for over 10 hours due to landslides in Samroli and Ramban areas since early morning whereas, one person was killed as big wall of an Army Unit near old Bus Stand, Rajouri collapsed this morning.
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Chenab, Tawi and Ujh rivers were flowing near alert mark today while many roads were damaged and blocked due to heavy rains for the last two days across the region. The concrete basement of Sahar bridge on Jammu-Lakhanpur National Highway near Kathua was washed away due to flash flood today, forcing authorities to stop movement of the vehicles for some time. However, after visit of NHAI engineers, one way traffic on the bridge was allowed and the police men were deployed to ensure passage of single vehicle.
Water level in Chenab near Akhnoor was around 28 ft during afternoon and then it started receding while after 4 pm again the water level started increasing due to rain in hilly areas and the level reached around 29.2 ft in the evening. The level of water in Tawi river at Jammu was 11.5 ft between 2 to 3 pm while it started receding there after. It was heavily raining in some hilly areas during late evening and flood alert has already been sounded by the Administration for low lying areas.
Official sources said that one person was trapped in flooded river Tawi near main bridge at Bikram Chowk during morning hours. The flood water continued increasing. He was riding a rock in the river. The District Administration asked SDRF team to launch rescue operation. The police team from PP Nehru Market led by SI Rohit Gandhi also reached the site. The SDRF divers rescued the trapped person using ropes. He was identified as Raj Kumar from Miran Sahib. Another villager Feroz Ahmed hailing from Barjala was rescued by police and SDRF men from Tawi river near Phallain Mandal area today.
Waterlogging in many Jammu city areas hit the movement of vehicles on roads. Flood and rain water entered several houses and shops. In Ganesh Vihar, Muthi area also a Nallah washed away several kanals of land and caused damage to residential houses. Several lanes were waterlogged, hampering free movement of general public.
Reports from Samba said that a tipper loading sand in Basantar river got stuck in the middle of the river due to the flood today. The driver of the tipper could not move out and was trapped there for hours. Later, after hard work, the local people pulled the driver out of the river with the help of ropes. The tipper was pulled out with the help of tractor after the river water receded.
At Dhaki village of Sumb block in Samba, an Innova car got stuck in the strong currents of water in flooded Nallah. The driver and other occupants managed to escape leaving behind the vehicle. The car was later pulled out of the Nallah water. Due to flash flood in many Nallahs, the movement of vehicles on many link roads in Samba district remained disrupted for hours.
Reports from Kathua said that an information was received that few persons were trapped in flash flood in river Ujh above Ghati village due to the heavy rainfall in the hilly areas. The police and SDRF teams moved to the site and with the help of locals they managed to rescue seven villagers. They had been trapped since morning hours.
Those rescued were identified as Din Mohd, son of Raju Ali; Asgar Ali , son of Moj Din; Imam Hussain , son of Mouj Din; Din Mohd, son of Raju Din all resident of Kanwal, Kotepunnu and Mohd, son of Sher Mohd of Mahi Chak.
The police team from Rajbagh Police Station under the supervision of SDPO Border Sanchit Mahajan, assisted the SDRF men and rescued four more persons from Ujh river by using Chopper.
The flooded water from a Nallah entered many fields and houses of people in Chinji-Makwal area of Ramkote in Billawar. Several roads and houses have been damaged in Billawar and Ramkote area due to flash floods and heavy rain, reports said.
The concrete base of Sahar Khad bridge between Kathua and Lakhanpur on National Highway was washed away due to flash flood today. It exposed the bridge to the risk of collapse. The movement of vehicles over the bridge was stopped by local administration. Later, NHAI team reached the spot and after assessment, they allowed one way single movement of vehicle over the bridge.
In Rajouri town, an employee of Municipal Council, Rajouri, Dhani Ram, son of Lachhu Ram, resident of Peer Kanju, was buried alive under a big wall of an Army unit near Old Bus Stand Rajouri this morning. The incident took place at around 8.30 am when he was going to attend his duty. Later his body was removed from the Mulba and shifted to District Hospital Rajouri. The police has taken cognizance of the matter.
In Mendhar town the rain and flood water entered many shops and houses and caused extensive damage to the public property. The Beopar Mandal alleged that despite repeated requests to the RDD and local Administration, nothing was done to improve sanitation works in the town. Prominent people of the town including Balram Sharma, Tahir Ali Kazmi, Dilshad Qadri, Amit Sawhney and Rajat Kapoor said that there was heavy rain during last two days resulting into waterlogging which caused great damage to the shopkeepers. There is strong resentment among the business community.
The incessant rains worsened the situation as most of the roads in the town were waterlogged, causing great inconvenience to the common people. The drainage blocked and it led to water logging and inundation in the town.
In Udampur area, the rain and flood water entered several houses at Sataini, causing extensive damage to public property and their electronic gadgets. Due to absence of proper drainage system, the rain/ flood water entered houses. The lanes were over flooded in the entire area and it was difficult for the people to move.
Later, Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur Indu Kanwal Chib, along with some staff, amidst rain moving through flooded lanes, reached out to the affected people and assessed the damage caused to their properties. She assured them to provide every possible assistance and directed concerned departments to take all measures to prevent flood in the lanes.
Official sources said that during morning hours today, land-slides took place at Panthyal and Maggarkote. This blocked the movement of traffic on the busy Jammu-Srinagar highway. Later, big boulders blocked highway at Samroli in Udhampur sector, causing another road blockade. The highway which remained blocked for more than 10 hours, could be restored this afternoon. Several link roads in Chenani, Latti, Basantgarh and Pancheri area were blocked due to rain and land-slides. This has also effected power supply to many areas, sources added.
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