Srinagar/Jammu, July 29: The government has sounded flood alert in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district as rains lashed the area for third consecutive day on Thursday.
 More than 100 structures including houses have suffered damage due to floods triggered by incessant rains.
 Coordinator Disaster Management Kashmir, Aamir Ali told Greater Kashmir that government had sounded flood alert in Kupwara district as water was flowing above the danger mark in Kehmil, Lolab and Mawar Nallahs.
 He said 15 families had been shifted in Hanjipora and people living in the Gushi, Poshpora, Wahipora, Nagri, Bramri, Jagerpora, Wadpora and Kaweri villages had been asked to remain cautious or move to safer places.
 Reports said, more than 30 villages had been disconnected from district headquarters Kupwara due to washing away of five bridges.
 The flash floods have washed away Mandyan Bridge and Dut Bridge, snapping the landlocked Keran region with the outer world.
 The torrential rains have also caused colossal damage to standing paddy crops in Lolab, Kupwara, Langate, Mawar, and Vilgam areas of district, besides damaging several residential structures in low-lying areas.
 Three persons were trapped in Kehmil Nallah in Goglosa Kupwara and efforts were on to rescue them.
 Talking to Greater Kashmir, additional deputy commissioner Kupwara Itrat Hussain said they were evacuating the people in the low-lying areas, as the situation had worsened due to continuous rainfall. “Our first priority is to rescue people trapped in the floods and we would assess the loss once the water recedes in affected areas,” he said.
 According to reports heavy rains damaged six residential houses, two saw mills and a shop in Pehlipora, Malangam, Shaikhmuqam, Banilpora, Keema, Quilmuqam, Turkpora and Manzgam villages of Bandipora yesterday night..
 Floodwater of Qazi Naag Bijhama Nallah, in Uri in Varmul district damaged ten houses, eight cowsheds, six Kothar, two shops, one vehicle, one Army bridge, five foot bridges, police said, adding that 39 houses also suffered partial damage in the incident.

FOOT BRIDGE WASHED AWAY IN GANDERBAL
 The Lal Sahab Bridge was washed away by flood in north Kashmir’s Ganderbal district disconnecting more than 12 villages with district headquarters.
 The locals told Greater Kashmir that thousands of people had been disconnected with outer world due to washing away of bridge.
 Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Dilshahda Khan however feigned ignorance about the incident. “No such bridge exists here,” she said.

FLOOD THREAT IN AKHNOOR
 The floods threats looms large in the areas along the river Chenab, and administration has dispatched tents and relief material to the area, in case the situation aggravates.
 Sources said ration and tents have been stocked at Akhnoor to meet any emergency situation, while the army has kept its rescue teams ready to face any eventuality.
 They have kept ready the boats and life jackets at several places along the river in Khour, Jourian and Akhnoor.
 ''We have dispatched tents and other relief material to flood prone areas as a advance preparation for meeting any emergency, while at the same the situation in the river was being closely monitored on the daily basis,” Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner of Jammu said.

CROSS LOC BUS SERVICE SUSPENDED
 The cross LOC bus services plying between the Srinagar and Muzaffarabad was suspended today due to landslides on the road.
(With Parvaiz Reshi in Ganderbal and Shahid Rafiq in Kupwara)

Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Thu, 29 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST