Jhelum crosses danger mark in Srinagar,Flood alert in J&K

SRINAGAR: Jhelum river crossed danger level in Srinagar and Sangam area of South Kashmir early on Monday morning, the officials said.

The deputy commissioner of Srinagar had already issued a flood alert late on Sunday night after heavy rainfall in Kashmir over the past two days which had led to the Jhelum flowing at 16 feet, just two feet below the danger mark. Due to the persisting weather condition, the officials had expected it to breach the ‘safe’ level of 18 feet by Monday morning.

“People living along the Jhelum are advised to remain alert and shift to higher grounds,” said the divisional commissioner Farooq Lone, even as officials oversaw evacuation from several villages, and issued an avalanche warning in affected areas over the next 24 hours.

With the Jhelum at 16 feet at the measuring pillar in Ram Munshibagh, Lone had informed that the officials had tents ready at Sant Nagar marriage hall as well as the industrial estate in Bargala.

The rains began on Friday and the water level in the Jhelum rose steadily on Sunday, triggering alarm and reminding people of the catastrophic September 2014 floods in which 277 people were killed and lakhs of people displaced. Chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who was in Delhi, rushed to Srinagar to take stock of the situation.

Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh told the J&K assembly, “The administration is on full alert following heavy rains in the Valley and the situation is being monitored continuously.” The CM would personally monitor the situation, he added.

Avalanche warning also issued in Kashmir.

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Source:Timesofindia