Flood situation eases in most parts of Kashmir valley

Srinagar: The flood situation in most parts of Kashmir eased on Friday as the water levels in the River Jhelum and other water bodies in the valley went below the danger mark in the wake of improvement in the weather, officials said.

There has been very little rainfall across the Kashmir valley in the past 24 hours and the water levels in the River Jhelum, its tributaries, and other water bodies across the valley has started receding.

The water level in the Jhelum at Sangam in south Kashmir's Anantnag district, as well as downstream in Srinagar's Ram Munshibagh was below the danger mark, the officials said.

At other places as well, the water in the Jhelum is still above the danger mark but receding, they said, adding, close monitoring in such areas will continue.

All the tributaries of the Jhelum were flowing below the danger levels as well, the officials said, adding no breaches were reported along any part of the Jhelum overnight.

The water has also started receding in the areas that were inundated, though at some places such a situation remains, the officials said.

However, they said monitoring by various departments continued and such teams were on alert.

The officials said the water in the Wular Lake in north Kashmir's Bandipora district was also receding and there was no need to panic.

They said preventive measures, including evacuation and shifting people to safer places, have been taken at all vulnerable spots.

In south Kashmir's Anantnag district, several structures at many places along the banks of the Jhelum were damaged due to soil erosion in the aftermath of the floods.

Authorities have asked people to evacuate houses which have been damaged by flood waters in the Naidkhun Harnag areas of the district.

The Meteorological department has said the weather would stay mainly dry in J-K over the next 24 hours, with a possibility of light rain at one or two places.

However, as a precautionary measure, educational institutions across Kashmir remained closed for the third day on Friday to ensure the safety of students in the aftermath of the flood-like situation.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday chaired a meeting here on the post-flood scenario, and directed reinforcing of vulnerable spots, evacuation of people from inundated villages, and round-the-clock monitoring through control rooms in the aftermath of the flood situation in the valley.

He also directed for swift restoration of essential services, including power, water supply and road connectivity in the flood-hit areas of the Kashmir valley.