Jammu/Reasi/Poonch/ Batote,
September 3
Flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rain in Jammu & Kashmir killed seven persons, including a BSF officer and an Army jawan, on Wednesday.
Over two dozen villages have been flooded in the Jammu region and authorities have sounded a flood alert. Traffic on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway remained suspended for over 8 hours following landslides. Over 100 persons were rescued from flood-hit areas by the Army and state government officials.
A bunker collapsed along the LoC in Poonch as debris fell on it after a landslide. "A BSF inspector was inside the bunker along with some troops at that time. The officer, indentified as Mohd Rashid of of 145 battallon, could not come out of the bunker and was buried," said a BSF spokesperson, adding that his body was later recovered.
Five persons were killed in a landslide triggered by a cloudburst at Kala Zar area of Chassana village in Reasi district. Reasi Deputy Commissioner, Shabir Ahmed Bhatt said, "Five bodies have been recovered."
The victims included four children and an old woman. The victims were sleeping when the incident occurred. The deceased have been as Nafeer (5), Jatoon (7), Khatoon (4), Janu (5) and Begi (52).
Bhatt said several houses were also damaged due to incessant rains for the last three days in the area. Over 100 houses on the banks of Pulaft and Suran rivers were washed away in Surankote and Poonch
towns. The district administration today evacuated families from 200 houses to safer areas.
An Armyman, identified as Sepoy Balbir of 40 RR, lost his life while assisting in rescue operations in Sabzian sector of Poonch..
Traffic movement was halted on the National Highway near Panthial in Ramban district after a landlide, leaving hundreds of passengers stranded. The road was restored partially for the one-way traffic for light vehicles after many hours.
In Valley, the police rescued 17 persons of four families from flood ravaged parts in Kulgam.
Authorities have deployed over a dozen of Disaster Management and rescue teams in all the districts of Jammu region and water level is being continuously monitored by flood control rooms.
The Poonch town has also been cut off from the rest of the country after heavy rains washed away stretches of the Jammu-Poonch highway at two places. Power supply to Poonch district was snapped after a tower of 33 KV transmission line collapsed in heavy rains near Bafliaz. Over 100 houses were washed away in Surankote and Poonch towns as Pulaft and Suran rivers were in spate.
Over 100 houses on the banks of Pulaft and Suran rivers were washed away in Surankote and Poonch towns. The district administration today evacuated families from 200 houses to safer areas.
Though there has been no report of any casualty or injury from Poonch district, the Poonch-Jammu highway has been washed away at two places. Around 200 feet stretch of the highway has been washed away near She-e-Kashmir Bridge just at the beginning of Poonch town while nearly 80 feet road has been washed away in Dalera village, 6 km from Poonch town.
Consequently, nearly 200 vehicles carrying passengers, including women, children and old people, were left stranded at different places. Those stranded also included Poonch ASP Amit Gupta. An alternative Poonch-Chandak-Surankote road that connected Poonch with Jammu has been blocked at three places due to landslides.
Nearly 4,000 kanals of fertile land has been washed away in flashfloods and the situation was reported to be "very grim". Around 80 people are stranded in Khanetar and five families have been left to fend for themselves in Potha. Rivers on either side of these villages are in spate. The mobile phone network has also snapped.
Jammu Divisional Commissioner, Shantmanu, said: "Rescue operations have been initiated by Civil Defence teams in tandem with the Army."
