The continuous rains and snowfall has created havoc in, hits normal life across Kashmir Valley.
Water has logged in many areas of Srinagar including Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar, Ram Bagh, Mehjoor Nagar Lalchowk and many other areas. The people of these areas have started vacating to the safer places. However many of the residents are still at their homes.
The rainfall also led to water logging of several city roads and localities, causing inconvenience to pedestrians and commuters.
Several markets in commercial hub Lal Chowk also remained submerged as authorities failed to initiate efforts to de-water the affected areas.
However water has seeped into a number of residential houses and other structures in Hamdaina colony Bemina Srinagar. Reports said that, water has entered the ground floor of most of the houses in the colony.
A flood advisory has been also issued asking people to remain vigilant; the advisory has asked the people of south and central Kashmir after a rise in the water level of River Jhelum and its tributaries.
An official from flood control department told PTK that Jhelum has crossed the ‘alarm level’ of 18 feet at Sangam in Anantnag district.
“We have issued the advisory after the water level in River Jhelum crossed the 18 feet mark at Sangam,” there are apprehensions that the water may rise in this intervening night due to which people have been cautioned to remain vigilant about the water situation” he said.
Authorities have postponed all the college and university examinations in view of the bad weather conditions in the valley.
The authorities have also closed down all schools in the valley till Sunday in view of the rain and snowfall at this time of the year.
The University of Kashmir and Islamic University have postponed all examinations for the day.
The Health Department has directed all district and block level officers to prepare for exigencies in case of flood.
Flights were also cancelled at Srinagar airport as the air traffic was affected due to bad weather. “Total number 10 flights were cancelled at the airport. Five incoming and five outgoing flights were cancelled owing to the bad weather” an official said.
Reports from South Kashmir said that two passengers are missing after a cab plunged into a river in Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.
The cab was heading to Larnoo from main Kokernag when it plunged into Brengi Nallah near Dandipora village.
An official said that six passengers were rescued but five others went missing.
The latest reports suggest that three more missing passengers have been rescued.
Around 40 sheep died after a house collapsed due to heavy rains in Shandi Balmatkote area of Mahore in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir.
Reports reaching PTK from Baramulla said that several localities of Pattan submerged while a masque in have suffered extensive damage due to heavy rains since past more than 24 hours.
The reports said that several areas in Pattan, including Kripalpora, Hamray, Iqbal colony and Hanjiveera were completely submerged in rain water.
The water level is increasing with every passing time and several residential houses have suffered cracks following uninterrupted rains, reports said.
Protests Erupted at Gundkhawaja Qasim and Pattan town against the Civil administration.
Meanwhile protests erupted in Iqbal colony Pattan againt the authorities for neglecting the problems of the people in this bad situation. People blocked Srinagar Muzzafarabad national highway against the ignorance and negligence of civil administration since last flood. The people said that they made several representations to the district administration for the constructing of bund round the Jehlum tributary,
Protesters despite Heavy rainfall stopped the cavalcade of horticulture minister Baharat Bukhari, who was accompanied with DC Baramulla and SSP Sopore. However after the assurance by minister Protesters pacify peacefully and restore the traffic movement on highway.
Later on minster along with SSP Sopore visited many Flooded areas including Hanjivera and Rengee Pattan.
A maruti car bearing registration number JK05C_1198 has come under a tree near Sangrama on National Highway.
According to reports that large number of people reached spot and rescued the passengers, among which couple of injured persons has not yet identified have been referred to Hospital for special treatment.
The people of Srinagar and other parts of the valley have complained that the authorities are yet to take steps to rescue the people water logging areas.
“We are still waiting for district administration come up for help and take us out of the ordeal, but no one has arrived till yet hence we were forced to take steps on our own” said a group of people in Bemina.
The 2014 floods had caused widespread destruction in the valley as more than 300 persons were killed in the deluge that struck in the month of September.
According to MET department officials, Srinagar received 83.9 mm rain and snowfall over the past 24 hours while Kokernag in south Kashmir received 69.9 mm of rains in the corresponding period.
The incessant rains have forced closure of the arterial Jammu-Srinagar National Highway as the downpour has triggered landslides and shooting stones at several places along the 300-km road.
Massive traffic jams were witnessed in many parts of the city as the roads were inundated as drains were overflowing. (PTK)