Defence forces battle force of nature in J&K to rescue thousands

Thousands of defence personnel are working overtime to rescue lakhs of people still stranded in the floods in Jammu and Kashmir.

As the death toll in the worst flooding to hit the state in six decades inched towards 200, the Centre has rushed more National Disaster Response Forces teams equipped with boats and other flood relief equipment. Naval commandos were also deployed for the first time.

Army, Air Force, NDRF and state agencies have so far rescued more than 25,000 people and lodged them in higher places in the Valley.

The IAF choppers and transport aircraft undertook several sorties as relief work was extended for the first time to South Kashmir.

The IAF has deployed 45 aircraft and helicopters into action, a Defence spokesman said.

The rescued included 1,400 Army personnel and their families caught in flood waters in its headquarters at Badamibagh cantonment in Srinagar.

The cantonment along with areas of Shivpora and Indranagar in Srinagar were submerged as the water level rose alarmingly due to breach in the Jhelum River.

With thousands of people trapped on the second floor, third floor or on the roof tops in several areas in the Valley, a defence spokesman said Army plans to continue the rescue operations even at night.

"Soldiers won't return to barracks until last man is helped," Army Chief Gen Dalbir Suhag said in Delhi.

With improvement in weather conditions, Army will intensify its rescue operation while focusing first on Srinagar city and South Kashmir where a large number of people remain trapped in their houses without any basic amenities.

Noting that the troops were facing several challenges in the operation 'Megh Rahat', Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D S Hooda today said they were trying to reach the people who were in the most precarious conditions as quickly as possible though they have received thousands of messages seeking help.

Talking to reporters at Udhampur-based headquarters, Hooda said that situation in Jammu was limping back to normalcy and roads leading to other areas around Jammu would be restored within next 48 hours.

"As I said for the next 48 hours, our focus remains on Srinagar and South Kashmir because there are still large number of people who are stranded and who are without any food and water. It's our idea to get them out as soon as possible. We will continue operation Megh Rahat till every one is pulled out of this situation," he said. 

He also said that army has taken up repair of border fencing damaged in the worst floods in six decades as it apprehends that militants might take advantage of the situation to infiltrate into the state. 

"They (militants) may come. So we have strengthened Army's presence in these areas. The repair work has immediately begun. We will do it very quickly," he said.

The massive floods in J-K have claimed over 150 lives, damaged infrastructure and left tens of thousands of people marooned.

Hooda assured the people that rescue operations will pick up as additional engineering teams and boats have arrived.

Asked about delay in relief and rescue operations in south Kashmir, he said they were affected by the inclement weather as the Valley was lashed by torrential rains for nearly five days.

He said, "Nobody thought it would rain incessantly for so long and the gushing water cut-off Army's boats in Srinagar and Banihal," a small town in Jammu division before entry to Kashmir. 

The weather was so bad that no sortie could be taken till September 5, Hooda said.

The Commander said that Army itself was badly affected as some of its posts in Aknoor and Munawar in Jammu region had been badly damaged.

"There is also 14 feet water in Badami Bagh cantonment and large number of ordnance equipment, supply depot are under water. But despite that our rescue efforts continue unabated.

"In the Kashmir valley, the situation still remains critical particularly in the areas around Srinagar and areas in South Kashmir where there is fairly high level of flooding in these areas," Lt Gen Hooda said.

About Jammu-Srinagar Highway, Lt Gen Hooda said that road at ahead of Ramsoo was submerged in water and there were continuing landslides in the area.

He said Army was working overtime to repair the national highway and was hopeful that it would be cleared for traffic in four-five days if "weather holds up".

Even though sorties for relief material are flying out tourists and others trapped in the Valley, it is difficult for people stranded in different places to reach airport because roads are under water, he said.

As an emergency coverage of logistics, petroleum products, food stock and medicines will move from Leh to Srinagar. Similar quantities of food, petroleum products and medicines will also be moved from northern India via Manali-Rohtang Pass-Leh-Srinagar to replenish the stocks.

The Home Ministry is also airlifting thousands of bottles of drinking water and blankets to Jammu and Kashmir to be distributed among the flood-affected people as there is shortage of potable water and woollens.

"As nights are getting colder in the Valley, we are urgently arranging blankets and airlifting them to Srinagar. There is crisis of drinking water too. So, we are sending thousands of bottled water beginning today for next four-five days," the official said.

Packets of biscuits and ready to eat food have been rushed in last night with further supplies carried to the Valley for distribution.

The three highways connecting Kashmir with Jammu have been badly hit and the Border Roads Organisation has assessed the damage and conveyed that it will take at least five to seven days for their restoration, the official said.