Bandipora: Seventy sheep have perished while several more are missing due to flood in Wullar lake at Lankreshipora village of north Kashmir’s Bandipora district.
As per the locals and the shepherds sudden floods occurred after morning. Around 150 sheep were washed away in the flood. Officials said 57 were confirmed dead so far as more remain missing.
The sheep were on a dry patch of land near the Wular banks when the incident happened, as per the local witnesses. Ghulam Qadir, the shepherd told the reporters that sudden floods that occurred in the Lake were deadly and that his 20-year-old son and his cousin had managed to survive by climbing on the trees. Qadir said it had been three days since they were there.
“All the newborn and weak sheep have perished, around 150 in total are missing among which 70 have been found dead,” Qadir said adding that locals with the help of a boat were able to rescue his son and his nephew.
The sheep as per Qadir belong to different owners and he had been rearing them for almost eight years. Although, as per Qadir increase in water level was a regular phenomenon, this year it rose early. “We were about to shift from the area in four to five days, but this hit us unexpectedly,” Qadir said.
One of the owners said that he received a sudden phone call from the shepherds who asked for help. He managed to reach the spot and help them and even managed to rescue over 50 sheep.
Doctor Showkat Ahamd Ahanger, Chief Animal and Sheep Husbandry officer Bandipora confirmed the incident and told Greater Kashmir that he has visited the spot and that around “57 sheep have been confirmed dead.”
He said they have written to the authorities to compensate theaffected people under SDRF. He said police have also been informed and that revenue teams have also taken the note of the incident.
Ahamd said that the shepherd’s were transferring the livestock from one patch to another when suddenly water levels rose.