J-K floods: Supplying food, water and medicine is top priority, says Omar

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who conducted an aerial survey of the flood-affected areas here on Wednesday, said supplying food, water and medicine is his government's top priority.

"The best part is that the water has receded in several areas which were submerged. The areas where we were reaching by boats till yesterday, we are now able to go to those places by trucks now. Many places are still cut off," Omar told ANI.

"I am hoping that water level will start receding by tomorrow and we will be able to connect the airport through roads. It will then be easier for us to carry the patients to the aircraft," he added.

Omar further said, "We are waiting so that Jammu-Srinagar Highway opens then we will be able to send the rescued people to wherever they want via cars."

The Chief Minister, who dropped relief materials for the people affected in the floods, also promised six months of free ration in areas where everything has been destroyed.

Meanwhile, Union Minister Jitendra Singh today assured the flood-affected people of Jammu and Kashmir of all help from the Centre to tide over the crisis.

He said that there is no need to panic and reassured of necessary assistance to the relatives, kith and kin of the persons stranded in the flood-hit areas of Jammu and Kashmir.

Singh said over 76,500 people have been rescued so far by the armed forces and National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

Hailing the role of Army, Air Force and para-military forces including BSF, Singh said that the Indian Air-Force and Army alone have so far pressed into service nearly 80 air-craft and helicopters.

In addition, 329 columns of army personnel are already deployed in the state who are performing an exemplary task under the most inhospitable conditions which only goes on to prove the point that the Indian Army and para-military forces are not only capable to fight the enemy on the borders but also equally capable to fight the ravages of natural calamity like the one being witnessed in Jammu and Kashmir, he observed.

Singh said that he had taken up the issue of providing more relief material with Ministry of Home Affairs and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA). He stated that the army alone had distributed 1, 50,000 litres of water to the flood-hit people while additional water bottles were being airlifted from Chandigarh and Delhi.

Singh said that he was in touch with the state administration and also maintaining a regular individual contact with Deputy Commissioners of the affected districts.

He added that the rescue teams are using satellite phones for communication.