Next 15-20 days crucial: Div Com
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Aug 28: As the water levels in river Jhelum and its tributaries receded to a large extent today, settling below the alert mark at most places, people especially those living in the low-lying areas had a sigh of relief.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
Srinagar and other parts of the Valley recorded no precipitation since this morning, allowing water levels to recede and thereby eliminating the threat of floods across the region. The water level has receded significantly, settling below the alert level in river Jhelum and its tributaries.
The water level at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar was recorded at 18.21 ft, which is 0.21 ft above the flood declaration mark. However, the water level is constantly receding.
The water levels at Sangam in Anantnag and Asham in Bandipora are well below the flood declaration mark, eliminating the flood threat across the Valley. At Sangam, it was 15.02 feet and at Asham 12.58 feet at 8 p.m.
Director of the Meteorological Department, Dr Mukhtar Ahmad, said that a brief spell of rain and thunder is expected at a few places, mainly late afternoon and late night tomorrow.
“From August 30 to September 1, a spell of light to moderate rain, scattered to fairly widespread, with the possibility of moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms, is expected in a few districts of Jammu division,” he said. “From September 2 to 6, a brief spell of rain and thunderstorms is forecast at a few places.”
The MeT has issued an advisory, warning of the possibility of moderate to heavy rain and thunderstorms at a few places in the Jammu division from the early morning of August 30 to late night of September 1, and again early morning on September 2.
It also warns of potential landslides, mudslides, shooting stones, etc., at vulnerable locations, advising people to stay away from water bodies, nallahs, river embankments, and loose structures-
In the meantime, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg said the flood situation in the Valley has eased after days of incessant rain, but the next 15-20 days remain crucial due to the ongoing monsoon pattern.
While addressing a press conference in Srinagar, Garg said water levels at Sangam and Ram Munshi Bagh had risen alarmingly earlier this week but receded considerably in the past 48 hours.
“The situation is now completely normal, but we must remain cautious. Weather forecasts till September 5 indicate mainly dry conditions, but the monsoon pattern continues until around September 20. We cannot rule out fresh rainfall, so vigilance is necessary,” he said.
He lauded the people of Kashmir, particularly in South Kashmir, for facing the situation with resilience. He also praised the efforts of the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, SDRF, Police and the Army.
“Around 150 vulnerable spots along Jhelum’s embankments held up well without breaches. Restoration works and embankment strengthening have proven effective,” Garg said.
He said the administration has kept district disaster management teams, magistrates, police officers, SDRF, and irrigation staff on 24×7 duties. “Emergency control room numbers at district and UT levels have been circulated for public assistance,” he said.
Garg urged people, especially those living near riverbanks and tributaries like the Vishaw and Lidder streams in Kulgam, to remain alert and follow weather advisories.
He said the Integrated Operational Forecasting System (IOFS) and the Integrated Decision Support System (DSS) have been instrumental in issuing timely alerts. “However, there is always scope for improvement, and we will continue to strengthen our response systems,” he added.
Mobile connectivity remained disrupted due to damage in Jammu, but restoration work by BSNL and Airtel is underway. “We expect services to be restored in the next few hours,” Garg said.
The Divisional Commissioner said the administration will seek public input for medium- and long-term measures to improve flood preparedness. “Short-term arrangements will continue for the next 15-20 days until the monsoon ends. In the long term, we need to work together on developmental initiatives and regulatory norms to prevent future crises,” he said.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
