*Jhelum flows below danger mark in Valley
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU/ SRINAGAR, Apr 3: Seven members of a family were buried alive along with house in a major landslide in Dessa area of Doda, a Jhulla bridge got washed away near Poonch and nearly 150 more houses collapsed due to continued rain since yesterday across the region while Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and Batote-Doda-Kishtwar and Bhaderwah roads remained closed due to landslides at many places.
In Kashmir, with the improvement in weather today, the people felt little respite while Jhelum river was flowing below danger mark. Heavy rain which started lashing Srinagar and other parts of Valley last night, stopped around afternoon today and there was no major change in the water level in the Jhelum river which started receding yesterday after crossing the danger mark the previous day.
Deputy Inspector General of Police, Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban Range Nissar Ahmed told the Excelsior that seven members of a family reported to have been buried alive along with their house under massive landslide at Dewalkund hamlet about 5 kms from Dessa in district Doda this morning. He said the muddy house of one Satish Kumar (36), came under landslides and it got perished along with hundreds of tons of boulders and mud. He said Dessa is about 25 kms from Doda district headquarters and road is lying closed for the last several days due to dozens of landslides.
He said SHO Dessa along with some cops and jawans of Rashtriya Rifles (Army) have reached the spot and they started extricating bodies from the debris. Since all the work is being done manually, it is turning very difficult for them to remove debris because after landslide no sign of house was visible on the ground. After six hours’s tough work, the Army men were able to trace two dead bodies of mother and a daughter, the DIG said.
The deceased were identified as Satish, his wife Sushma Devi (31), Sushma’s brother Suresh Kumar (15), their 8- year-old daughter Anjana, 5 year-old son Kewal, 3-year-old daughter Bindu and one and half year son- Ravan.
IG Traffic, J&K, J P Singh told the Excelsior that Jammu-Srinagar National Highway and Batote-Doda-Kishtwar road remained closed today. He said BRO men and machinery had cleared many bottlenecks and it was planned to clear highway at around 4 pm but a fresh land slide near Ramsoo washed away nearly 150 mt of highway causing massive blockade. The shooting stones and boulders continued at many areas like Gangoo, Hingni, Panthal, Nashri, Seri, Khuni Nalla and Maggarkote. The landslides at Kheri near Udhampur had been cleared and the highway was cleared up to Batote. But many landslides between Batote and Doda and Kishtwar has blocked this highway as well.
He said it will take at least 7-8 hours to clear this fresh landslide at Ramsoo but it was dangerous to carry out work because boulders were coming down frequently. If the weather improves and stability witnessed, the BRO men and machinery would resume work at the site. He said about 600 Jammu bound trucks have been stranded at Banihal and other parts since yesterday while a large number of Kashmir bound trucks and other vehicles are also stranded at Udhampur, Bypass, Nagrota and Dhar Road. Reports said that over 1500 vehicles most of them trucks are stranded in Ramban, Banihal, Batote, Doda and Kishtwar and Bhaderwah. Over 2000 Kashmir bound goods carriers are also stranded at Udhampur, Jammu-Nagrota and Dhar Road. Nearly twenty houses were damaged in Ramban and Banihal area, a senior police official said.
Reports from parts of Doda, Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Reasi, Mahore, Bani, Billawar, Chenani, Dudu-Basantgarh, Rajouri and Poonch said that nearly 150 fresh incidents of house collapse have been reported. In Nagsani, Paddar and Pular area of Kishtwar about a dozen houses were damaged in rains.
SDM Mahore, Mr Dogra said that 21 houses collapsed in Kethi, Chhajru, Chassana and Mamankote area. He said some cattle are said to have been killed while no loss of life has been reported. DC Reasi Sarita Chouhan has closed all the schools in the District up to April 4. On Mahore Gool and Mahore Budhal road Army and BRO men were on the job to clear the road.
In Bani area of Kathua the rain and flood caused massive devastation. Over two dozen houses and a dozen water mills and several water supply schemes have been damaged. Sewa river was flowing above danger mark while rain water caused extensive damage to the road and lanes and drains of the town. The massive water from the adjoining mountains caused destruction, The water and power supply has been badly hit. The Basohli- Bani road has been closed for the last four days and there was scarcity of food grains, kerosene oil, LPG, vegetables and other items. Over thirty houses and cattle sheds are unofficially reported to have been damaged in Basohli, Billawar and Bani area since yesterday.
DC Kathua Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary told the Excelsior that at least seven houses are reported to have been damaged in the district in last 24 hours due to rains in Bani, Billawar and Ramkore area. 26 trapped persons were rescued in Billawar. Due to heavy rain fall in the mountainous area the water level in Ranjit Sagar Dam reached 517 ft against the danger mark of 524 ft, forcing Dam authorities to open some gates.
In Rahinbarha area of Billawar 26 trapped members of marriage party were rescued by police and locals of the area. Three families were also rescued from Dadwara. They were trapped in the middle of the river. Bhini, Naj and Ujh were also flowing above danger mark.
In Poonch, a Julla/ foot bridge over Betar Nallah was washed away in massive flood early today. Over 8000 population residing closer to the Line of Control has been cut off. The flood was devastating during early hours and four families of the area were also shifted to safer locations by police. This bridge had been constructed about ten years back on the demand of the people and was vital link to about half a dozen villages Degwar, Malti, Chhunga, Tarhwan, Kalsan and Shinchhunga. The power supply to many areas has been snapped. Major portion of approach road to SK Bridge at Poonch has also washed away due to flood today.
Even as water level of river Jhelum is increasing since morning after heavy rains last night, the flood threat is over as the weatherman has said that the impact of the Western Disturbance over the State is over.
The Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control, Javed Jaffar, told Excelsior that water level is increasing in river Jhelum since morning. He said that water level at Sangam is 17.05 feet, Srinagar 16.7 feet and Asham 11.8 feet at 10 p.m. “It is receding at Sangam, rising in Srinagar and Asham”, he added.
Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Gazanfar Hussain today told a press conference that with the improvement in weather and receding water in Jhelum, the danger of flood has averted.
Hussain said that Government is fully prepared to tackle any eventuality and people are asked to contact help line numbers of various control rooms set up by the Divisional Administration.
He further said that at 11.45 a. m. water level at Dal Lake was 12.4 feet. He said that Brar-e-Nambal gate was opened at 11 a.m. which is expected to reduce the water level in Dal Lake.
Hussain said that due to incessant rains various water supply schemes were partially damaged which have been repaired and water supply has been restored across the Valley.
“There is no incidence of breach in Jhelum bunds from Anantnag to Baramulla”, said the Hussain, adding that 76 dewatering pumps besides 19 fire tenders of Fire and Emergency Services have been pressed into service to dewater 83 water logged areas.
Divisional Commissioner said that 1030 MW power is being supplied to the Valley consumers. He informed that the repair and restoration work on NH-1A is going on speedily.
The Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, also issued an avalanche warning for next 24 hours from April 3 to April 4 in the avalanche prone areas of Kulgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts.
“Deputy Commissioner Kulgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal districts are requested to advise people not to venture in avalanche prone areas during above mentioned period. During heavy snowfall, people are advised not to occupy and temporarily evacuate those locations which are under fall line of avalanches”, said Hussain.
He has asked the Deputy Commissioners are asked to take all precautionary measures so as to avert any untoward incident.
In meantime, Baramulla Police today evacuated 30 families from landslide prone area of Iqbal Colony, Pattan. The families consisting 154 members were shifted to safer places. Moreover, another family of seven members was shifted from Chopan Mohalla Sultanpora.
Police is keeping a close watch in the landslide prone areas of the district and if there is any apprehensions of landslide triggering, the people are being evacuated as per the evacuation plan already framed for the flash flood and landslide prone areas.
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