Three dead in Jammu following incessant rain, flood-alert in low-lying areas of Jammu and Kashmir

At least three persons were reported dead in Jammu region after incessant rains across the Kashmir valley caused floods in the state’s low-lying areas.

With the Jhelum River flowing over 23 feet-mark at Sangam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district on Saturday morning, the government took no risk but to sound a flood-alert. Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar Syed Abid Rasheed said: “We have already alerted people of low-lying areas to stay vigilant. However, the situation still remains under control and there is no need of evacuation yet.”

Schools in the Kashmir division remained closed as a precautionary measure in the low-lying areas of the central Kashmir and Srinagar. After a brief pause in the Amarnath Yatra due to heavy rainfall, the Yatra though resumed from both walking routes, Baltal and Pahalgram.

The rising water levels brought back memories of 2014 floods when more than 300 persons had died. People took no chance, some went panicky and in certain parts of Srinagar, people living in low-lying areas and close to Jhelum had themselves started to move to other areas.

Earlier today, Amarnath Yatra was halted following landslide and slippery tracks due to inclement weather. The valley received heavy downpour in past three days and the rainfall intensified yesterday in several parts of the state.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) warned of heavy to very heavy rainfall today across the state. The state government has prepared 12 relief camps in the low areas and deployed 17 teams of State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). Also, 44 additional shelter sheds were set up in Srinagar.