J&K floods: Waters recede, toll 13

At least 400 villages were submerged in Jammu and Kashmir where seven more persons lost their lives taking the toll to 13 although there were no fresh rains since Sunday evening and flood-waters started receding.

Water level of almost all rivers and streams started receding with no fresh rains since Sunday evening, but over 300 houses and shops were damaged as 400 villages in the state continued to reel under flood-waters, officials said.

They said three members of a family -- a woman and her son and daughter died when their house collaped at Tandar in Chenani area of Udhampur district on Sunday

A 12-year-old girl of the same family was injured and later admitted to Udhampur hospital, they said.

Another woman was killed in a house collapse following heavy rains in Pouni area of the same district, the sources said.

They said two people, who had gone to gather firewood, lost their lives in different incidents in Anantnag district.

One person was washed away while collecting firewood in the flooded Lidder river in Ganeshpora while another man who was accompanying the former was rescued.

On Saturday, six members of a family were killed when their house collapsed in Kathua.

Officials said the water-level of river Jhelum upstream Sangam which was flowing nearly 12 feet above danger mark has receded and was flowing just 9 feet above danger mark on Monday.

Similarly downstream at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar, the water has started receding.

It was 2 feet above danger mark at 6 pm at Ram Munshi Bagh. Further downstream at Asham in Baramulla, water level was flowing 3 feet above danger mark now, they said.

They said with further improvement in the weather the flood situation will improve further.

However, they said the administration has not lowered the guard and engaged in relief and rescue operations.

Army and Central Reserve Police Force are also engaged in rescue and relief operations in the worst affected Anantnag, Pulwama, Baramulla and Srinagar districts, they added.

Governor S K Sinha accompanied by Flood Control Minister Mohammad Dilawar Mir on Monday visited flood-hit areas in Srinagar periphery and took stock of measures being taken for the affected people.

The governor had a long interaction with flood victims at Latipora and Lasjan who told him that army, police and civil administration rendered immediate help to the sufferers and rescued the marooned to safer places.

Sinha went in the army boat to the badly hit areas and apprised the governor about the flood damage saying that standing crops were almost totally damaged due to gushing floodwaters.

The flood control minister said each area has been placed under the supervision of teams of army, police and civil administration and the situation was being constantly monitored at the apex level.

He said the assistance whatsoever being sought from the affected areas is being rushed immediately and efforts are on to dewater the interiors in Srinagar and semi-urban areas.