By Raqib Hameed Naik, TwoCircles.net,
Srinagar: The water level in river Jhelum has crossed to alarming level at two critical points on Sunday, forcing government to give flood alert at night in Srinagar and adjoining areas.
Reports said that a flood alert was sounded by the district administration in Srinagar as the water level at Ram Munshibagh crossed alarming level of 16 feet at around 9 pm. Moreover, the water crossed the alarming level of 18 at Sanga in Awantipora.
“Flood alert was sounded on late Sunday in Srinagar city as River Jhelum was flowing 16 feet at Ram
Munshibagh. All emergency services have been pressed into service to meet the eventuality of a flood,” Deputy Commissioner, Srinagar, Farooq Ahmad Lone said.
He advised People living along the banks of River Jhelum to remain vigilant and shift the old and
children’s to the safer places. “If the Jhelum will cross the 18 feet at Rammunshi Bagh then situation of flood will be declared and if God forbid it crosses the mark of 23 feet it will be considered a danger level,” he said.
He advised all employees deployed for the flood duty to report their offices forthwith.
“I appeal all the employees to reach their beats as soon as possible,” he said and added that authorities have established relief tents at Marriage hall Sanat nagar and at EDI Pampore.
The water levels recorded at 10 pm were 19.10 feet at Sangam, 16.20 feet at Ram Munshibagh and 9.66 feet at Asham, sources said.
Meanwhile, Panic Gripped in Rambagh, Lasjan, Mahjoor Nagar, Kursoo Rajbagh, Barzulla and other adjoining areas of srinagar City.
The water has entered the ground floor of JVC Medical college and hospital Bemina and patients have been shifted to Sher E Kashmir Institutes of Medical Sciences, Soura.In Most of the areas people are using masjid loudspeakers to announce flood situation.
Incessant rains have been lashing Kashmir since Saturday night, which has led to sharp rise in water level in streams and rivulets across the valley.
The Srinagar-Jammu National Highway was closed following landslides at a number of places on Sunday. The Srinagar-Gulmarg road was also closed after a bridge in Kunzar village was washed away by the swollen Ferozepur Nallah.
Flash floods triggered by incessant rain have damaged scores of houses, school buildings and other structures besides snapping road connectivity in the Kashmir Valley, an official said on Sunday.
“Over 80 structures, including residential homes, school buildings and other structures, have suffered damage due to flash floods since Saturday,” an administrative officer told IANS here.
Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed took stock of the flood threat and reviewed the preparedness of the administration that has already been put on high alert.
The University of Kashmir has postponed all examinations scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
The local meteorological department has forecast moderate rain in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday and decrease in precipitation thereafter.
Earlier, the Met department had maintained that the Kashmir Valley faces no flood threat, as many residents of Srinagar began shifting to safer areas as the water level in the Jhelum rose menacingly.
Sonam Lotus, director of the meteorological office, on Sunday dismissed any flood threat to the Kashmir Valley.
A special control room has been established at Police headquarter Srinagar to monitor the situation. The helpline numbers of the control room are 2452138, 2474040.
(With Inputs from IANS)
(Photo credit: Greater Kashmir)
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Continuous rainfall triggers another flood panic in Kashmir; Met dept denies any chance of flood