J&K floods: 400,000 still stranded even as waters recede

The flood situation in Kashmir is as bad as the Uttarakhand floods last year. The Army has mobilised 60 columns for rescue and relief work across the Valley, which is reeling from the worst floods in at least 60 years.

Thousands of people are still stranded and desperate for help in the Valley. However, the rainfall has eased, which has helped scale up the massive multi-agency rescue and relief efforts

Officials said a shortage of boats is restricting rescue operations. A total of 61 Indian Air Force choppers and transport aircraft undertook 354 sorties non-stop overnight to carry men and relief material to submerged parts of the Valley. About 100,000 troops are engaged in the rescue operations.

The Armed Forces and NDRF have so far rescued 42,587 persons across the state. They have set up emergency camps where evacuees are kept for 12 to 24 hours before being transferred to relief camps set up by the state government

Numerous villages have also been hit by landslides. "It is a bigger tragedy than we could have ever imagined as many families are under the debris," a survivor said. "We are waiting outside helplessly praying to God."

Already, at least 200 people have been reported killed in the floods that started last Tuesday. Many others are missing, while lakhs are still stranded — many on rooftops — in the worst floods to hit Jammu and Kashmir

The devastation has been widespread, downing all communications and most transport links. Families across the country have been unable to contact their loved ones, and are relying on government help centres to find relatives.

State-run Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited and private chopper firms have joined the multi-agency rescue and relief efforts. Air India has also kept two aircraft on standby to transport passengers and relief materials

Partial road connectivity to the flood-hit Kashmir Valley has been restored from the Leh region following concerted efforts of Indian Army Engineers and the Border Roads Organisation

There are 67 boats with rescue teams operating in areas like Shivpora, Batwara and Indranagar whereas the localities of Rajbag, Jawahar Nagar and Gorji Bag are being covered through operations launched from the airport end of the city