Scores of families moved to safer places, residential house damaged in Uri, bridges washed away, truck driver, conductor escapes unhurt after truck skidded of Ajas Bridge fell into Ajas Nallah
Reyaz Rashid
Baramulla: While heavy incessant rains in Kashmir valley triggered flood like situation, dozen villages remain flooded in North Kashmir’s Baramulla, Bandipora and Kupwara districts after heavy rains from last night inundated roads, streets and raised water level in streams, rivulets and river Jehlum.
The low lying areas in North Kashmir’s Kupwara, Bandipora and Baramulla districts faced the prospect of floods with water levels in all major rivers and streams rising alarmingly following incessant rain. Jhelum, the biggest river in the valley, and its tributaries like the Ferozepur, Balkoul, Mawar, Phoru, Kamal Sindh, Lidder, Ramiyar and Pohru were brimming over due to heavy rains in the mountains and cloudbursts at many places. Inundated villages, roads, streets, landslides, choked drains, flooded streets with uprooted trees damaged electricity poles and wire was the picture in different areas of Pattan, Sopore and other areas of Baramulla District. Heavy rains forced people to remain indoors and traffic was very low on the roads. In north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the water level in the local stream Nalla Ferozpore , Dargang and Ningli Nallah of Wagoora have raised insistently inundating low-lying areas of Pattan including adjoining canals and rivulets.Several Villages including Habak Tengo, Gundbal, KP Payeen, Khasipora, Khore, Hanjiwera Trikolbal and adjacent localities of Pattan sub-dvision inundated after gushing water of Nallah Ferozpora submerged the villages forcing scores of families to leave to safer places and demaging their ground floors of their residential hosues. “All of sudden flood water has submerged our village and water level has been increasing with every passing hour causing severe damaged to our residential houses. We are highly thankful to SDM Pattan who send his teams to rescue us but Flood and Irrigation Department always put our lives in danger,” said Bashir Ahmed Habak Tengo village. “ After breach in bund, flood water damaged apple orchards and paddy crops in Yalipora Pattan,” he added.With an inadequate and outdated drainage system, many localities of Baramulla and Sopore town are flooded which include Gosia Colony , Stadium Colony in Baramulla and some residential areas in Rafiabad, New Colony, Tarzoo Sopore, Model Town Sopore, Dag Moholla, Amberpora, Alibagh Sopore, Watergam Rafiabad faced water logging problems. “We have been facing water logging since 2014 floods but despite several representations to administration and Flood and Irrigation department, nobody cares about our miseries, “said Sarpanch Tarzoo C Sopore Nazir Ahmad.In frontier Uri sub-division, a residential house of Muneer Ahmad Khatana of Nawarunda was damaged after a landslide hit besides road of Batgran, Sukdar and Chollan Uri it got blocked at Rampore after landslide triggered by rains caved in but authorities have failed to resorted the traffic movement, local said.Following the incessant rains, the district administration has directed all schools in the jurisdiction of district Baramulla to suspend the routine class work. “In view of incessant rains, class work in all schools in the jurisdiction of district Baramulla shall remain suspended,” CEO Baramulla tweeted . Deputy Commissioner Baramulla Dr. Sherish Asgar said, “Many areas in the district are flooded with rain water accumulated after incessant rains. Besides rains triggered landslides, so people are advised to avoid unnecessary movement and contact helpline No 01952234343, 7006493646. We are prepared to deal with any kind of flood like situation but so far there are no reports of any loss of life or any major damage in any area.”In north’s Kupwara and Hundwara heavy rains inundated dozens of villages in areas situated near Phoru, Mawar, Kamal streams. In Hundwara villages like Braripora, Kulagangam, Chogal,Datikote, Wayepora,Khroo, Langate, Shanoo, Teran, Hanga, Badgund got submerged when water overflowed from the banks of Nalla Mawar.In Kupwara, incessant rains triggered floods in Ramhal, Gushi, Kunanposhra,Ghuipora, Tregram, Duniwara. “Nerimpora bridge approach road was washed away by floods after water level in Kehmil Nallah increased. Chek Lawoosa, Nugam Banjarwere cut off after thee only wooden bridge between the villages was washed away by floods,” locals said.In Bandipora district, incessant rainfall from last night has led to an increase in the water level “beyond the specified limit” in various rivers and streams located in different areas. Bandipora-Gurez road was also closed for traffic movement after fresh snowfall at Razdan Pass and several upper reached of Gurez Valley including Tulail. A driver and conductor had miraculous escape after a truck, on way from Srinagar to Bandipora, rolled down into Baedkul nullah in Ajas village of Bandipora district.Witnesses said that that the cement laden truck skidded off the diversion constructed on either side of the newly constructed Ajas Bridge, and fell into the after driver lost control over the vehicle.Many areas have been inundated by flood waters after water level flows beyond limited level in various streams especially in Nallah Athwatoo, Arin and Madhumati. Madhumati Stream flows beyond danger level an damaged a vital Kaloosa Bridge on Sopore Bandipora road.Similarly water inundated Athwatoo village and damaged it roads when the Vij and Athwatoo Nahallah flows beyond danger mark while damaging Atwatoo Bridge. Locals in Hajin, Sumbal, Madvan and other adjoining areas told Kashmir Images that river Jehulum and adjoining tributaries and flowing beyond specified limit.