Jammu: Army has deployed 85 columns of troops in flood-hit Jammu and Kashmir for undertaking search, rescue and relief operations and have rescued 2500 people so far.
Officials said that more columns of troops in various units and formations have been kept ready for operations to reach out to the affected people in Kashmir valley and parts of Jammu region.
“Army has deployed and pressed into service 85 columns of troops for undertaking a major search, rescue and relief operations in flood hit areas of Jammu and Kashmir”, Public Relation Officer (PRO), Defence, Northern Command, Col S D Goswami told PTI on Friday.
Of 85 columns, the highest number of 60 columns have been deployed in Kashmir valley and 25 such columns in affected areas of Jammu region, he said.
The columns, headed by Junior Commissioner Officers (JCOs) has fanned in most of the affected areas of Kashmir valley, particularly in worst flood Central Kashmir’s Srinagar summer capital and South Kashmir.
They are armed with all types of equipments and vehicles to help people in distress in Kashmir valley, which is facing a worst types of floods after many decades.
During past few days, Army troops have rescued 2500 people in Kashmir region and parts of Jammu division, particularly Poonch, Rajouri and Reasi belts, which faced the worst situation due to flash-floods, Col Goswami said.
Meanwhile, five bodies were on Friday found while a search was on for 45 other missing passengers after a bus carrying them was washed away in flood waters in Rajouri district yesterday. Twenty-five more people have been killed in flash-floods and landslides in the state.
Of these, 18 died in Jammu region and 7 in Kashmir valley. Authorities have sounded high “flood” alert as most of the rivers in the state area are flowing high above the danger mark due to incessant rains since the night of September 2.
The Government has also rushed in six teams of NDRF to combat and launch rescue and relief operations in the flood-hit parts of Jammu and Kashmir, especially the Kashmir Valley. NDRF chief O P Singh told PTI that while six teams comprising close to 500 personnel have already been deployed in the state, two other teams have been put on “standby” and are ready to be airlifted for immediate deployment in the state.
“The teams which are deployed are being dispatched to trouble spots as desired by the state administration. While we have prepared two more teams to respond to any immediate emergency, we have asked few other units to remain alert,” Singh, who recently took over the command of the force, said.
The teams already sent to Kashmir Valley are operating in Srinagar and Anantnag areas. “On requisition of government of Jammu and Kashmir, two search and rescue teams of NDRF consisting of more than eighty rescuers with boats were mobilised from its nearest base at Bathinda in Punjab. One team is deployed at Gharkhal near Akhnoor in Jammu district and other is deployed at Sunderbani in Rajouri district.
“The NDRF team deployed at Sunderbani is engaged in relief operation where a bus carrying a marriage party was washed away in flash flood in Gambhir river yesterday (Thursday),” the NDRF headquarters said in a statement here.
Flood situation has worsened in the last two days in the Kashmir Valley where river Jhelum has been flowing above the danger mark and most parts of south Kashmir, including Pulwama, Anantnag and Kulgam district have been submerged and the water level in Rambiara stream in Shopian district was also seen rising fast.
The National Disaster Response Force functions under the Union Home Ministry.
IAF keeps choppers ready to assist JK govt in rescue operati’s
Indian Air Force has kept its helicopters ready to assist the Jammu and Kashmir government in rescue and relief operations in the flood-affected areas of the state. “We have asked the IAF to keep its men and machines on the stand by for rescue and relief operations in flood- affected areas,” Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Rohit Kansal told PTI on Friday.
He said, however, bad weather and incessant downpour has not allowed use of helicopters so far. Kansal said the administration is monitoring the flood situation in Kashmir valley closely and necessary steps to provide relief to the affected people were being initiated.
Heavy rains have caused floods in many parts of the state which has left 20 persons dead so far with fate of 45 others, who were washed away in a bus in Rajouri district on Thursday, not known. (PTI)
