Flood in J&K creates panic; 4 dead

Witness to unprecedented devastating floods only seven months back, Jammu and Kashmir was in the grip of panic today as several areas of the valley and parts of Jammu were in deluge caused by rains due to which four people have died and fate of 13 others was unknown.
As authorities declared a flood situation in the Kashmir, the Centre and the state government swung into action, with eight teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) being rushed to the valley to help in rescue and relief.
The state government has sanctioned Rs 32 crore -- Rs 22 crore for Kashmir and Rs 10 crore for Jammu region which also has been affected by flood, Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed told Assembly in Jammu after visiting affected areas of Srinagar.

Sayeed said one person died and 10 others are trapped in the debris of a house which collapsed in Laldan area of Budgam district of Kashmir valley due to floods.
"We hope and pray that all of them survive. As of now we are not in a position to confirm either way," he said.
Police later said that three women have died while 13 other people are believed to be trapped in the debris after a landslide brought down four houses in Budgam.

Sayeed said there was an "unfortunate" death in Udhampur and there have been some flash floods in Jammu as well. We are watching the situation," he said.

The Centre assured all help to the state government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi rushed minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to the valley for on-the-spot assessment and coordinate with state authorities with regard to the assistance required.
Due to heavy rains over the past 36 hours, river Jhelum was flowing above the danger mark at several places including Sangam in Anantnag district and Ram Munshi Bagh in the city.
Flood water entered several low-lying areas of Kashmir, including capital Srinagar, leading to panic among the locals for whom memories of the devastating deluge only seven months back are fresh in mind.

Over 280 people had been killed and tens of thousands left homeless and property worth hundreds of crores of rupees damaged in unprecedented floods in the state in September last year.