Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 16: At least 1200 houses collapsed as rains continued for the last three days in the region while five persons were buried alive under their houses and three washed away in floods besides a temple and Government school building in flooded Chenab whereas, the police, Army and civilians rescued at least 80 persons from different areas to the safer places since yesterday. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway was closed due to land slides at several places in Udhampur and Ramban area.
A Met office spokesman told the Excelsior that rain and thunder-shower would continue across the region in next 24 hours, indicating much loss to the houses and property of the people.
The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway continued to remain closed due to heavy land slides between Udhampur-Chenani, Batote-Ramban and Banihal. Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on both sides due to blockade. The one -way traffic was however, restored on the highway this late evening.
Shri Amarnath yatra was also hit with the blockade. Many link- roads including Dhar-Mahanpur-Udhampur, Ramnagar-Dudu Basantgarh, Katra-Reasi-Mahore, Udhampur-Chenani-Lati, Pancheri, Kathua-Basohli-Billawar and Bani road have been closed due to landslides. Nearly one kilometer portion of road have sunk near Mahanpur and the land link to the entire Basohli-Bani tehsils has been snapped since late last evening.
The train service between Jammu and Udhampur has also been suspended after a portion of a bridge ( No. 67) near Bangarh suffered some damage on the track in Kishanpur-Manwal area. Uttar Sampark Kranti, Malwa and DMU trains were stopped at different stations.
The flood in rivers Chenab, Tawi, Ujh, Devak, Basantar, Manawar Tawi and Suran created havoc and nearly 80 people were rescued from different locations by Army, Police, Civil Defence men and the civilians.
A 50 year old woman was washed away in Sherpur nallah near Kathua on Old Samba-Kathua road last evening and her body was traced today. She was later identified as Shakuntla Devi, wife of Bishan Dass of village Badala in Kathua. Chenab also continued to flow above the danger mark and now the water has started receding.
A Govt School building and a temple at Bakore village near Jourian were washed away in heavy flood in Chenab. The administration shifted many families from several villages along the river bank in Khour, Jourian and Pargwal area to the safer places. A woman namely, Darshna Devi, wife of Nikku Ram of village Zad died after her house collapsed today. Her body was later removed from the debris of a wall.
The flood in river Tawi also posed danger to many families in low lying villages of Fallain-Mandal and people were also shifted to different safer locations. The IAF helicopters also kept hovering over the swollen rivers to rescue the trapped persons. In Tehsil Akhnoor, total 170 houses were said to have collapsed in last two days. They included 49 cattle sheds. Nine cattle were also killed in these incidents. In Jammu, about a dozen houses including one each in Durga Nagar and Muthi, were partially damaged in the rain since yesterday, however, no loss of life has been reported.
Two persons including a minor girl were buried alive after a house collapsed near Lati in Dudu area of district Udhampur last evening. Eight other members were injured and were removed to Ramnagar hospital today. The deceased were identified as Savitri Devi (57), wife of Punnu Ram and Anju Devi (6), daughter of Dev Raj, residents of Seri village in Lati.
There were two houses which totally collapsed and 15 members were there inside, eight received injuries while others managed to escape. The police and Naib Tehsildar concerned visited the village today.
According to report received from District Administration Udhampur, nearly 135 houses were fully and partially damaged in the entire district in last two days. Nearly 60 houses have been damaged due to rain in Ramnagar out of them 20 have been fully collapsed. 58 houses reportedly to have been collapsed in Majalta tehsil, ten in Dudu area and nine in Chenani.
At Gangerha village in Udhampur nearly 43 houses suffered damage due to land slides. About 25 families were shifted to a city community hall by the district administration this evening from their unsafe houses. Most of the link roads in the entire district have been closed due to land slides. Between Udhampur and Chenani land slides created blockades at least at 12 points. A huge boulder struck the highway near Samroli and GREF men were trying to blast it to clear the highway.
In Kathua district nearly 500 houses and cattle sheds collapsed in which a woman and nearly 14 cattle were killed. Reports from Basohli said that massive damage was caused in Bagnoti and Billawar area. One Guddi (50), wife of Rishan Din, resident of Janoo village near Basohli was buried alive under the wall of her kutcha house last night. Her body was later extricated by the family. Out of these 500 structures, 130 were cattle shed which perished. From Biral village near Billawar nearly a dozen families were rescued to the safer place by the administration.
In Basohli, 42 houses were reported to have collapsed in last two days, 30 in Hiranagar, in Bani nearly 50 while rest in Kathua, Nagri, Rajbagh, Billawar and Ramkote area. Some Government buildings including schools have also suffered damage in the district.
Deputy Commissioner Poonch Sajjad Ahmed Khan said that Army rescued nearly 50 persons who were trapped in flooded Suran river at Surankote. He said on the request of the District Administration the Brigade Commander of the area responded immediately and the troops of CIF rescued over 50 trapped persons in the river yesterday.
These people had been trapped at different places including Kalai, Draba and Surankote. Due to torrential rains at the higher reaches there was flash flood and these people got trapped. The flood water also entered some localities of Surankote.
The people of Poonch area also held protest demonstration near Sher-e-Kashmir bridge and blocked Jammu-Poonch road for nearly two hours after water entered their houses due to rains. They alleged that due to breaching of bund the river water entered their houses two days back causing damage to their property. Later, with the intervention of senior officers in the administration the road was cleared.
In Rajouri area nearly 90 houses are reported to have been collapsed. Many link roads are closed paralyzing normal life. A senior officer in the Administration said that nearly 40 houses are said to have been damaged in Manjakote area, 20 in Thanamandi and rest in Peeri Jaglanu and Kotranka area.
The reports from Nowshera and Sunderbani said that about 20 houses were partially or fully damaged. Kotranka-Khwas, Sarola-Budhal, Gambir Mugla-Kotli road besides many other roads were closed.
Reports from Samba said that nearly 175 houses collapsed in last two days due to heavy rain, a BSF post was marooned and suffered damage at the bank of river Basantar while six trapped persons were rescued from Rangoor camp area. A police party led by DySP Vijaypur and SHO Ramgarh Satish Kumar in coordination with the civil administration Samba, rescued six villagers who had been trapped in swollen Basantar river near Rangoor Camp.
They were identified as Mukesh, son of Bhagwan Dass, Ravi Kumar, son of Hans Raj, Jacky, son of Mohinder , Pinka and Sunny, sons of Kala Ram and Rajat, son of Sham Lal from the same village. They had gone to their fields but got trapped in flash flood and remained there for several hours. DC and SSP Samba personally supervised the operation.
Spokesman said that nearly 180 houses have been collapsed in the entire district in last two days and more reports are pouring in. In Vijaypur nearly 98 houses, 35 in Nud and Sumb, 40 in Purmandal and a few in other areas of the district including Raya-Suchani and Gurha Slathian. At Dyoon village eight goats of one Kartar Chand were killed in house collapsed. Nearly, half a dozen others were injured.
At Kamore near Indo- Pak border, a BSF post suffered extensive damage as a bundh along Basantar river got breached and water entered many fields and villages. The border post area was said to be marooned. An observatory tower has also been damaged. The border fencing at many places suffered damage due to floods in nallahs. Several roads including Sumb, Mansar, Gagwal-Rajpura border Purmandal were closed due to flood in nallas and land slides at several places.
In Reasi, nearly 50 houses reported to have been damaged in rains and land slides and majority of them (37) have been collapsed in Mahore-Arnas area. In Pouni block, area about 13 houses suffered damage while several link roads have also been closed. Chopper service from Katra to Sanji Chhat also remained suspended for the second day today.
Katra- Reasi road was closed due to massive land slides near a Railway tunnel at Katra and the traffic was diverted to other route. The villagers whose houses were fully collapsed in Pouni area are – Munshi Ram, Charan Dass, Krishan Lal, Rattan Lal, Kulbhushan, Baldev Raj, Bittu, Subash Chander and Suraj Parkash.
A report from Ramban said that one Sharifa Begum, resident of Dashal village in Gool washed away in a flooded nallah today. The incident took place when she was crossing the nallah. Her body was later recovered by the villagers. Another villager namely Abdul Rashid Naik, resident of Neel slipped into the nallah during rain and washed away today. He had gone for grazing his cattle and the body could not be traced. Nearly two dozen houses said to have been damaged in the area. Similar reports of houses collapse have also been received from Doda, Kishtwar and Bhaderwah area but no loss of life has been reported.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet which met at Srinagar today under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took note of the loss of life and the damage caused to the property and public infrastructure due to heavy rains and floods in the State. The Revenue Department was directed to assess the losses on this account and submit report to the Government. The Chief Secretary was directed to convene a meeting of the Executive Committee of State Disaster Relief Fund urgently for providing timely relief to the sufferers.
Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand also paid visit to flood affected areas of Akhnoor and Khour and took stock of the situation. Accompanied by SDM Akhnoor and several other officers the DyCM visited Datyal, Pangali and other low lying areas at the banks of river Chenab where crop of the farmers and houses have been damaged. He directed the Revenue officers to assess the loss and submit report.
Minister of State for Revenue and Relief Aijaz Ahmed Khan exhorted upon the officers to be prompt and extra vigilant towards their services to deal with the situation arisen due to heavy rain and floods. Divisional Commissioner Jammu Shant Manu and DC Ajeet Kumar Sahu also attended the meet. It was informed in the meeting that 836 houses were completely and 2161 partially damaged so far in the recent rains in the region. 23 persons have been died in these incidents.
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