After heavy rains for over 24 hours, the Jhelum River in Kashmir on Thursday once again crossed the danger mark in south Kashmir and Srinagar.
The administration sounded a flood alert late on Wednesday night for Anantnag and Pulwama districts with a swelling Jhelum and with predictions from the MeT department of more rains over the next 48 hours.
According to the Irrigation and flood control department, the water level at Sangam was 27.10 feet at 11am on Thursday, more than four feet above the danger mark. The water level at the Ram Munshibagh in Srinagar was 20.50, 1.50 feet about the danger mark.
"As the water flows down from south Kashmir toward Srinagar, the water level in Sribagar is expected to go higher by afternoon. So we have asked all the people living on banks of the river or its tributaries to move to safer places," a senior official of the Irrigation and Flood control department told The Hindu.
While says some low lying villages in the south Kashmir have already been inundated, several areas in south Kashmir and Srinagar have been clogged by the rain water due to faulty drainage, bringing back the memories of the last years floods that drowned almost half of the valley.
PTI adds:
Landslides close J&K highway
Several passengers had a narrow escape after landslides triggered by heavy rains buried some vehicles on Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, resulting in its blockade. Landslides occurred at several places between Banihal and Peera sectors of national highway, police officials said.
Meanwhile, about three vehicles were partially buried under landslides at Ramsoo and Seri, they said, adding the passengers escaped narrowly without any injuries.
The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have started clearance of landslides on the highway stretches in these places but rains are making the task difficult, they said, adding that operations to clear the highway was on.
Due to closure of the highway, over 200 vehicles were stranded at various places en route the highway, they said.
Rail traffic suspended
Flooding of tracks in heavy rainfall has led to the suspension of rail services between Banihal area of Jammu and Qazigund belt of Kashmir Valley, Station Master Railways, Banihal, Baseer Ahmed said.
Work is on at Hillar to repair the damage, he said, adding that the restoration of the track will be done by this evening. Rail traffic between the Qazigund and Baramulla sections in Kashmir Valley, meanwhile, are continuing smoothly, he added.
