Incessant rains have prompted the authorities to issue flood warning in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Gujarat. An alert was sounded in Kashmir on Thursday after river Jhelum and various streams were flowing above the danger mark. In a sign of relief for the authorities and residents alike who suffered the flash floods in September 2014, there has been no rainfall on Thursday.
Several bridges and roads have been washed away in south Kashmir with Tral area in Pulwama district bearing the brunt of the flash floods, officials said. Anantnag and Pulwama districts have been put on high alert as heavy rainfall lashed the region. Jhelum has been flowing at 27.15-ft, 4.15-ft above the danger mark, at Sangam at noon on Thursday.
Officials said that in Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, the river had risen to 20.70-ft, almost two feet above the danger mark. The MeT department has predicted more rain over the next 48 hours, raising concerns in the valley.
Several areas of Anantnag district, have been flooded due to the overflowing Jhelum river and its tributaries. Some parts of Kulgam district, including Qoimoh, Mir Bazar, Asthal and Devsar, were also inundated as the Vaishav stream breached its banks, the officials said.
The divisional administration reviewed the situation at a meeting chaired by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Asgar Samoon at 4.00 AM on Thursday. People living in and around flood-prone areas of Anantnag and Pulwama districts have been advised to shift to safer locations.
Meanwhile, heavy rains are causing havoc in other parts of the country too. Death toll due to heavy rainfall in Gujarat rose to 41, including 27 in worst-hit Amreli district, following which Chief Minister Anandiben Patel conducted an aerial survey of the affected areas. NDRF, IAF called in Amreli as incessant rains lash Saurashtra.
"Death toll due to heavy rains has risen to 41. The deaths were reported from Amreli (27), Rajkot (4), Bhavnagar (3), Surat (2) and one each from Bharuch and Valsad districts," State Relief Commissioner DN Pandey said. Over 50 Gir lions have been moved to safer locations.
The authorities have said compensation will be provided to the affected people. The Gujarat CM conducted an aerial survey to gauge the situation. The government has given directions to the energy department to rectify problem of power failure in the state.
According to Amreli Collector HR Suthar, NDRF and Air Force teams are participating in the rescue and relief operations which are going on in full swing. "The local administration is prepared to provide every possible service to the rain-affected areas. We today started distributing food packets to people in affected areas with the help of helicopters," Amreli MP Naran Kachhadiya said.
Heavy rains due to deep depression over the Arabian sea, which lashed Saurashtra and South Gujarat regions incessantly since Thursday, took a break as the deep
depression moved towards Madhya Pradesh. "The deep depression has passed out of the state, and now it has converted to a low mark pressure and is centred over Madhya Pradesh. It will weaken further in the next 24 hours," Director at State Meteorological Department Jayanta S said.
Incessant overnight rains at many places in Uttarakhand have also affected the Chardham Yatra with pilgrimage to the Himalayan shrines of Kedarnath and Badrinath being interrupted.
Yatra to Kedarnath has been halted for the day after overnight rains that lashed Rudraprayag district. The MeT department has warned heavy rains and moderate landslides at isolated places in the high altitude districts during the next 48 hours.
The country has recorded 24 per cent more rainfall than its normal limit with central India and southern peninsula, respectively, receiving 52 per cent and 32 per cent more rain. Areas in the East and northeast India have recorded just 4 per cent more rain while northwest India, which includes Delhi and NCR region, has received 5 per cent less rainfall.
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