Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Aug 9: Incessant rain and flash floods in rivers and nallahs in many parts of the region hit the normal life badly, affecting movement of traffic while several houses got collapsed in Jammu, Samba and Kathua areas resulting into the death of woman whereas one person who was trapped in flash flood in Basantar river in Samba was rescued by police and civil defence men today.
Reports from Samba said that traffic on Kaluchak- Purmandal and Samailpur roads in Bari Brahmana, Samba-Sumb, Mansar and several other roads was disrupted due to heavy rain and flash floods in various nallahs for about 3-4 hours in the morning. The water also entered many houses causing damage to the public property.
The traffic on several border roads of district Samba and Jammu also remained suspended for hours together. Long traffic jam was also created in a nallah in Bari Brahmana area during morning due to flash flood. The rain and over flooded drain water entered some houses in Bari Brahmana town. Babbar Nallah in Rajpura-Gaghwal also disrupted movement of traffic for hours.
A villager namely Sardari Lal, son of Munshi Ram, resident of Daboh who had gone to Basantar river got trapped in the middle due to flash flood. Later a large number of villagers arrived at the bank for his rescue.
The locals contacted district administration and sought help. Then police and civil defence men reached the spot and by using ropes, they rescued the trapped villager.
Two persons also remained trapped in the lower side of this river when they had gone for fetching sand with tractor trolley. They drove the trolley to the middle dry portion and mounted atop. They remained trapped for about five hours and later returned after water level receded.
55-year old Satya Devi, wife of Sagar Singh, resident of Danei near Sumb was buried alive after a portion of her kutcha house collapsed during this morning. Her body was later removed from the debris. The house hold goods were also damaged in the incident. About seven houses have been reportedly collapsed in this belt since last night. But no other casualty was reported but household goods of the victims were reportedly damaged. Senior officers of the district administration also visited several affected areas later during the day.
In Jammu city the water entered many houses and shops in several localities including Greater Kailash, Gangyal, Digiana, Nanak Nagar, Chhani Himmat, Bhagwati Nagar, Talab Tillo Bohri and Sidhra areas. A protection bund of nallah at Greater Kailash got breached and the water entered several houses causing extensive damage.
The water logging on the roads near Jewel Chowk, Science College and several other spots affected flow of traffic. Choked drains in many parts of the city created havoc. The water in river Chenab was flowing near alert mark and nearly 28 ft water was recorded during the day today by the Flood Control authorities. The Tawi was also flooded but no major loss has been reported since last night.
Reports from Kathua said that flood water from small nallahs from Kalibari side entered Patel Nagar and Shiv Nagar and created havoc again. The water entered at least in two dozen houses and few shops and caused damage to the property of the people. They alleged that there were no proper drains and National Highway authorities have also not taken required measures to divert the water to the constructed drains.
The local MC Kathua authorities are sleeping over the matter. The rain water caused similar damage in Parli Wand and old Kathua city. Three houses collapsed in ward No. 1 of Kathua town. However, no loss of human life was reported. At Katal Brahmana the house of one Sham Lal got collapsed but the families members had miraculous escape. Their belongings however, were buried under the debris. A portion of nearly 100 mt of Pacca Kotha -Parangoli road in Hiranagar was washed away in flood hit nallah.
Due to land slides Dhar-Mahanpur road leading to Phintar-Udhampur and Billawar was blocked today and the traffic remained suspended for more than six hours. The traffic on Basohli- Bani road was also disrupted due to rain and land slides in Magiar area of Bani today. However, GREF authorities restored traffic after five hours.
Another report said that traffic on old Kathua–Samba road continued to remain disrupted today during the day. After a long patch road got washed away in flash flood at Sherpur three days back, the immediate protection work and crates raised there by Flood Control authorities again got washed away in flash flood this morning. The flood was massive due to heavy rain and vehicles remained trapped for long. The flood caused more damage to this border road.
At Kamala village in Ramkote panic continued among the villagers where a portion of land had sunk. The five families shifted, there were provided free ration by the authorities. The villagers of that area had been asked to remain alert. Some more portion has been affected there since yesterday.
Due to flash flood in Pacca Kotha nallah on Dayala Chak-Billawar road a portion of Parangoli road washed away. It is said that nearly 100 mt portion of this road at the bank of nallah has washed away. The traffic flow on this Billawar road was also affected for some time.
Another report from Mendhar said that a portion of about 40 ft Harni-BG road was washed away due to flood in Gajna nallah. The flood also caused land erosion and damaged standing crop of the villagers. Due to floods massive land erosion has been witnessed in Harni, Gursai, Mankotem Salwah and Kallar Morha area of Poonch.
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