Kashmir Floods: Death toll reaches 300, hundreds still missing

JAMMU — The death toll in floods in Jammu and Kashmir has risen to 300 and the toll may rise as hundreds of people are missing in the State.

Officials said the number of people who have died in floods in the State has risen to 300 with the recovery of more bodies.

They said the death toll could be higher as over 360 people are missing in the State. Among the missing include tourists from outside the State, army personnel and those submerged in their houses in the Valley.

According to officials, some people are feared to be trapped in the debris of the collapsed houses in Srinagar as many areas are still underwater.

The government’s initial estimates have revealed that over 40,000 houses have been damaged across the State and the number was in the hundreds in Srinagar city alone.

“Bodies of two people, including a resident of Bantalab area of Jammu, who were trapped in flood-affected Rajbagh area have been recovered,” said a government official.

Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Rohit Kansal, said one more body was recovered from Jawahar Nagar bund area today. “The identity of the person is being ascertained.”

“The death toll could be higher as we try to de-water the city areas as fast as possible,” he said.

Among the areas which are still inundated include Bemina, Rajbagh, Jawahar Nagar and Indira Nagar.

“The government has pressed into service the vehicles of the Fire and Emergency Services department and water pumps to de-water the areas. However, many areas are still underwater,” officials said.

The government has also breached the bunds, but most houses and the internal roads in Rajbagh and Jawahar Nagar areas continue to remain underwater.

The water has still not receded from the areas lying in the vicinity of Lalla Ded Hospital. The delay on the part of the government to drain water from the inundated areas led to a surge of anger among the residents here, who have even staged protests against the government for not cleaning filth and carcasses of animals from the roads.

On Saturday, residents of Tengpora Batamaloo area protested against the government for its failure to remove the carcasses of animals from the area that had caused a nauseating stink.

On the 15th day of the floods, marooned people in Bemina area were taking their household goods to safer areas while normalcy was returning to other areas like Chanapora, Natipora, Hyderpora and other areas.