Five people have been killed and several injured in landslides and flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir. Several houses have been damaged and hundreds of residents have been affected.
Heavy rains and landslides have hit several hilly districts including Doda, Reasi, Kishtwar, Ramban and Baramulla. The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway has been closed for the past three days due to landslides at several places along the road.
In Kupwara the situation is starting to improve: the water level has dropped and people are returning to their damaged homes. As seen in yesterday's footage, part of the road has been washed away due to flash flooding and several houses have been inundated with knee-deep water. Part of a house overlooking the river has been washed away. Yesterday, officials issued a danger alert for Pohru Nallah in Kupwara.
#WATCH | Roads and buildings damaged by flash floods in Kupwara of J&K due to sudden heavy rains in the area pic.twitter.com/wRjcXQoa1Y
— ANI (@ANI) April 29, 2024
The Jammu and Kashmir government said the timely evacuation saved lives in flood-affected areas. Aziz Ahmad, Additional District Magistrate of Handwara, said: “We are assessing losses. Our priority was to save lives.”
Floods damaged some important infrastructure in Kupwara district including Shumriyal Bridge, Khumryal Bridge, Shatmuqam Bridge, Sohipora-Hayhama Bridge, Farkyan Bridge, two Rural Development Department buildings in Kupwara and the office building of Assistant Director Handicrafts. The Shumryal-Gundajhanger road was cut due to scouring and a breach in the Doban Kachama dam.
“We have lost everything due to floods, we need food and clothing,” the locals said.
Parts of the Srinagar-Jammu highway were flooded due to incessant rainfall. Flooding affected several regions in Srinagar city and other low-lying areas of the Kashmir Valley.
The Kashmir government today announced closure of schools and colleges as a precautionary measure in view of heavy rains in the Union Territory over the past three days. The University of Kashmir has also postponed all exams scheduled to take place today