Srinagar, Sep 17: The devastating floods that hit the state earlier this month has left around 248 persons dead including 25 from Srinagar city.
Official sources told Greater Kashmir that 25 deaths have been reported in Srinagar and there were possibilities of more fatalities as most parts of the summer capital were still inundated.
“There are unconfirmed reports that 2 to 3 more bodies have been retrieved today in the city,” they disclosed. The low lying areas in the city including Jawahar Nagar, Raj Bagh, Bemina, and commercial hub Lal Chowk are still submerged as government has failed to de-water them even as 10 days have passed after the floods hit the city.
Nine deaths, according to the sources, have been reported in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, eight in Islamabad (Anantnag) district, six in Budgam, four in Pulwama, two each in Shopain , Ganderbal and Kupwara districts. “The deaths in peripheral areas of Kashmir include those caused by landslides triggered by the floods,” they said.
On Monday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had put the death toll due to drowning in Kashmir at 30. In Jammu province, according to official sources, the fatalities have gone up to 190.
The Pirpanchal region has suffered maximum causalities with 93 deaths reported alone in Rajouri.
In Udhampur, 35 deaths have been reported followed by Poonch with 27 causalities, Reasi (18 deaths), Jammu (10 deaths), and two deaths each in Ramban, Kathua and Kishtwar and one death in Doda.
“Besides, six persons are reportedly missing in the region,” official sources revealed. Meanwhile as the water level is gradually receding in some flood hit areas, life has started limping back to normalcy.
The Vehicular Traffic to Kashmir has been restored through three national highways of Mughal Road,
Srinagar-Jammu and Kishtwar-Sinthan link, facilitating the resumption of supplies at a massive scale. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who according to an official statement, is closely monitoring the situation has stressed on providing immediate succor to flood affected people.
Omar, while heading a high level meeting, was told that the flood water in many Srinagar localities is being drained into natural channels through high volume suction pumps and cuts which is followed by massive cleaning up drive.
Omar was told that water supply has been restored in South Kashmir towns of Anantnag, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam while as it has been partially restored in Pampore. The statement said that have been pressed into service in Kupwara and Sopore areas in North Kashmir where PHE schemes have been badly hit.
The meeting was informed that 99 truckloads of relief material have been dispatched from Srinagar Airport yesterday besides 50 truck of ration have been pushed into Srinagar by CAPD department and 70 truck loads are expected to be sent today. Similarly 69 truckloads of ration have been sent to Baramulla, Budgam and Pulwama districts yesterday.