SRINAGAR : Two persons were feared dead in Budgam district while 35 families of a Kulgam village in Jammu and Kashmir were trapped in flood waters, following heavy rainfall over the past 48 hours.
Ghulam Ahmad Bhat and Abdul Rashid Gojri were washed away by a strong current in Aboora stream in Budgam caused by heavy rains this afternoon, a police spokesman said. Both are feared dead as efforts are on to retrieve their bodies, he said.
“Police has launched a rescue operation as an entire village at Banjarpora was inundated with flood water and more than 35 families including 25 members of Bakarwal community along with their flocks were trapped in it,” the spokesman said.
He said rafting boats from Pahalgam have been brought in to evacuate the trapped persons, which includes 26 children.
“The rescue operation is still continuing and senior officials of civil administration and police are supervising the operation on spot,” he said.
A total of eight families consisting of 37 members including children were rescued by police when they were trapped in flood in Birigam in Kulgam district, he said.
The rescued families have been relocated to the ‘panchayat ghar’ temporarily, the spokesman said, adding, police party is still on rescue job as more people in the area are feared trapped.
In Anantnag district, police launched a rescue operation at village Fathepora where five persons are trapped in flood waters, the spokesman said.
The efforts are on to rescue them, he said.
At Ganjiwara in Anantnag, police rescued a lady who got swayed in flood water in Jehlum.
A youth, who was caught in a sudden surge of water in Sindh stream in Ganderbal district, was rescued by Army personnel.
Heavy rains over the past two days has resulted in some parts of Anantnag and Kulgam districts getting inundated.
The official said river Jhelum was flowing at 22.3 feet at Sangam in Anantnag district — 1.3 feet above the danger mark.
However, in Srinagar, the river is flowing four feet below the danger mark of 18 feet.
According to MeT office, Qazigund received the highest amount of rainfall recording 160.2 mm rains since yesterday morning.
Kokernag area recorded 113.5 mm rainfall during this period followed by Pahalgam at 70.4 mm and Srinagar at 52.8 mm, it said.
Heavy rainfall has resulted in water logging of many roads in Srinagar causing traffic chaos across the city. Electricity supply to some areas has also been snapped due to heavy rains.
Meanwhile, in view of the continuous heavy rain fall and flood-like situation developing in many districts of the State, Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey held a video conference with the Deputy Commissioners.
He impressed upon the officers to take all necessary precautionary measures and remain vigilant to tackle any untoward incident.
He asked the Deputy Commissioners to extend immediate relief measures to the affected people. (AGENCIES)
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