Bandipora: A residential house and a mosque were partially damaged while a footbridge was washed away by the flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Aloosa area of Bandipora district on Wednesday, officials said.
The flash flood also caused extensive damage to orchards and agriculture crops, the locals from Aloosa village told Greater Kashmir. They said that the rivulets in the area breached and water entered several residential houses and paddy fields.
The heavy discharge of the water also flooded Zaingeer Canal damaging its banks at several places, officials said.
In the uphill village of Chachinar, the flash flood, sources said, partially damaged a mosque and a residential house while washing away a footbridge.
Tehsildar Aloosa, Sheikh Tariq told Greater Kashmir that there was no report of any loss of life or limb.
“The Zaingeer canal had a heavy discharge due to heavy rain which lasted for almost an hour. Also, a cloud burst might have occurred in the mountains,” he said.
Locals said that the under-construction footbridges hindered the passage of water in the canal and rivulets thus causing overflowing.
Soon after the flash floods, officials at the deputy commissioner’s office said that the teams of Revenue, Police, I&FC, and SDRF have been dispatched to the spot who were closely monitoring the situation. “They advised people to remain cautious and away from water bodies,” the officials said.
Chief agricultural officer Bandipora, Rafiq Ahmad Kakroo said that the damage to crops was relatively more in higher areas of Binlipora, Helmathpora, and Chichinar.
The horticulture officials said the orchards were comparatively safe and as per the preliminary reports no damage to the apple fruit has been caused. “However, a walnut tree was uprooted by the flash floods,” Chief Horticulture officer Bandipora, Ramzan Ahmad War said.