Kashmir had a narrow escape from a full-fledged flood on Tuesday as improvement in weather conditions stopped the Jhelum from overflowing into the residential areas in many parts of the Valley.
Officials said the flood declaration mark of 18 feet was crossed at Ram Munshibagh in Srinagar on Wednesday evening. However the situation is expected to stabilise as the weather has started to improve.
"The Flood Declaration mark of 18 feet at Ram Munshibagh has been touched. The flood duty as per the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is in force", officials said.
Following the flood declaration, the Irrigation and Flood Control Department asked the inhabitants residing along the River Jhelum in South/Central/North Kashmir to remain vigilant.
Earlier, the flood declaration mark of 21 feet was breached at Sangam as well.
The fourth day of rains wreaked havoc across the Union territory with several bridges and residential houses washed away by the gushing tributaries of Jhelum including Vaishow and Rambi Ara.
Reports of water logging were reported from many parts of Kashmir including the capital Srinagar.
Many schools were closed in Anantnag, Doda, Ramban and Kishtwar district after roads were submerged. Flood water entered residential areas in many places of Kashmir Valley, especially south Kashmir. There were reports of road erosion from Batafojan Chowan in South Kashmir’s Shopian district and landslides from North Kashmir districts, especially Bandipora.
In north Kashmir, a residential house was damaged in Uri and a bridge was partially damaged on Nallah Ferozpora due to the heavy downpour that led to landslides and flood like situation in parts of Kashmir.
Officials said flash floods washed away the shuttering of an under-construction bridge and a 150-foot section of the Jammu-Srinagar national highway after landslides hit parts of the hilly Ramban and Udhampur districts.
Incessant rains forced the closure of the strategic Srinagar-Jammu highway for the second consecutive day on Wednesday which left thousands of commuters stranded.
The traffic on the Mughal Road, which connects Kashmir with Pir Panjal region in Jammu division was also suspended due to landslides and dangerous road conditions.
Officials said an under-construction bridge in Peerah was damaged after its shuttering was washed away due to heavy rains while a 150-foot stretch of the Jammu-Srinagar highway was washed away near Toldi Nallah
Officials said 33 landslides, mudslides and incidents of shooting stones have been reported on the 270-km highway in Ramban and Udhampur districts.
In Kashmir, several residential houses and bridges were damaged after being hit by fast flowing water tributaries of Jhelum. Most of the incidents of damage were reported from south Kashmir.
In Central Kashmir, at least 52 sheep, eight horses and five cows died due to cloud burst in the upper forest areas in central Kashmir’s Budgam district on Wednesday. As per reports, Diskhal, Durian, Laddermad, Ayud and Korug and other upper reaches of Budgam district have been hit by cloudburst and inclement weather from the last two days, killing at least 52 sheep.
Officials said that the death toll may increase with time as the areas have no mobile accessibility even as a massive rescue operation is underway in the areas.