Four killed due to incessant rain in J&K

Four persons were killed and five others went missing due to incessant rains in Jammu and Kashmir as authorities declared flood in the valley on Friday.

"In the Jhelum River, water was flowing at 21.50 feet at Sangam in Anantnag and at 20.20 feet at Ram Munshibagh in Srinagar at 8 a.m. today (on Friday)," Muhammad Hanief Lone, chief engineer Flood Control Department told reporters here.

"At both these places the water level is above the flood mark. In view of this development, the state government has declared floods in the valley and all related emergency arrangements have been made," Lone said.

The Chief Engineer also said even though the weather was likely to improve from Friday, the water level in rivers, lakes and streams of the valley was expected to rise further.

"People living in low lying areas and close to the banks of rivers and streams are advised to remain vigilant," Lone said.

Four people have so far died due to incessant rains in the state during the last 24 hours.

A father and his son were killed by an avalanche in Kargil district of the Ladakh region on Thursday.

A woman was killed by lightning in Rajouri district of Jammu region and a 10-year-old girl drowned in north Kashmir's Kupwara district.

The girl's body was washed away by a roaring mountain stream. Rescue teams recovered the body two km away from the place where the girl had drowned, an official said.

An avalanche hit a post of the Indian Army in the Batalik sector of Ladakh region on Thursday burying five soldiers under it.

Two soldiers have been rescued so far while rescue operation is on to locate the other three missing soldiers.

Five passengers of a taxi were miraculously rescued after the vehicle fell into the overflowing Brengi mountain stream in Anantnag district on Thursday.

Two passengers of the ill-fated vehicle were still missing.

Army used helicopters to rescue 17 people marooned in flash floods in Poonch district of Jammu region on Thursday.

Dozens of houses across the state have been partially damaged due to the flood and torrential rains.

At least 40 sheep perished in a house collapse in Reasi district of Jammu region on Thursday.

Water has entered many villages in north Kashmir's Baramulla district where authorities have pressed in rescue teams with boats to help the marooned people.

In residential and commercial areas of Srinagar city including Maisuma, Karan Nagar, Bemina, Batmaloo, Wazir Bagh, Rajbagh, Mehjoor Nagar, Chanapora etc people complain that water had entered their homes.

More than two feet deep water logging was witnessed in Budshah Chowk, Jehangir Chowk and Regal Chowk areas of uptown Srinagar causing traffic jams.

Authorities used fire and emergency services pump sets to clear the water logging on the uptown main roads.

Authorities have closed all schools and colleges in the Valley till Monday.

The strategic Jammu-Srinagar highway remained closed for the third consecutive day on Friday due to landslides in Ramban district and fresh snowfall in Bannihal sector of the highway.

Ten flights of different airlines were cancelled on Thursday at the Srinagar International Airport due to poor visibility and bad landing conditions.

The MET office has forecast improvement in weather from Friday onwards.

--IANS

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