Jammu and Kashmir floods: Death toll climbs to 280

The number of deaths due to the floods in Jammu and Kashmir has climbed to 280, an official said.

At least 203 people have died in Jammu region and 77 in the Kashmir Valley. The loss in terms of private properties, businesses and infrastructure in the valley is more.

"We have no means at present to arrive at a firm figure," Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Friday evening.

Omar said it was not only public and private property that have been devastated by the floods. "Crops and horticultural produce have suffered huge losses. The farmers and orchardists have suffered heavy losses."

"I will use all my influence and power to persuade the central government so that loans to farmers under the Kisan Credit Card scheme are waived off," he said on local radio station.

He said nobody could say how much time will it take to bring the state out of the crisis.

The state government has said that the secretariat will start functioning from Sep 22.