Lake burst:Timely action prevents loss of lives, says J-K govt

A high level team of Jammu and Kashmir government today took stock of the damages in Zanskar and Leh areas of the state caused in the wake of breach in Phuktal lake.
Yesterday, the artificial lake on river Phuktal, in the Kargil district had burst and caused flash floods in the area, prompting authorities to launch an evacuation operation in the affected villages.
The team comprising Minister for PHE Sukhnandan Chowdhary, Minister for Cooperative Chhering Dorjey, Chairman State Legislative Council Haji Anayat Ali and Vice Chairman Khadi and Village Industry Board Syed Bakir Rizvi were briefed by experts from the National Disaster Management Authority at Leh, an official spokesman said.

The NDMA experts, comprising Joint Advisor Dhirendra Singh Sindhu and Chief Geologist NHPC B D Patni -- while briefing the State team, said they have carried out aerial inspection of River Phutkal landslide site today and observed that the water level is gradually reducing as it is passing through the artificial channel which has deepened and widened now.
The NDMA team said they were expecting the breach in the 14-km long lake and were monitoring the situation round the clock.
There seems no cause of worry as maximum water has now flown out and a small volume of water is left in a length of four to five kilometres of the lake, the experts told the state team.

The official delegation said that the timely precautionary and preventive measures taken by the State and district administrations at both Leh and Kargil resulted in zero loss to the human life and livestock.

The team of Ministers said they have assessed the degree of damages and they would submit a detailed report to the Chief Minister to take further course of action mainly in restoration of all the bridges, roads and other damaged infrastructures in both Zanskar and Leh.
Dorje said the Government would give additional money to both the Hill Councils of Leh and Kargil to restore the damaged infrastructures like motorable bridges and roads and also initiate necessary measures for rehabilitation of the families who suffered in Lungnak area of Zanskar.

He said 12 bridges including three motorable bridges in Lungnak valley have been washed away and also the newly installed steel bridges of Nyaraks and Chilling- Kaya in Leh district also washed away by the water.
On December 31 last year, Phuktal suffered a blockade by a massive 200 feet high landslide dam, equivalent to the height of a 20-storey building, leading to the creation of an artificial lake extending more than 10 km.
Last month, the Army claimed to have cleared the blockade of the river by creating a channel through the landslide area that facilitated the flow of water downstream.