Over 76,500 evacuated in flood-hit Kashmir

SrinagarJammu Over 76500 people have been rescued in Jammu and Kashmir and relief efforts were on in the floodhit parts of the state where hundreds still remained trapped even as the flood waters continued to recede Wednesday officials said adding that at least 215 people have died in the inundationA massive rescue and relief operation by the Indian Armed Forces and the National Disaster Response Force NDRF was in progress on a war footing in Jammu and Kashmir with over 76500 people rescued so far a defence ministry statement said in JammuHundreds of people are still believed to be stranded in the flooded areas of Jammu and Kashmir PicPTIThe statement said the army has deployed 329 columns of its personnel for rescue and relief operations of which 244 columns were deployed in the Srinagar region and 85 in the Jammu regionMany people remained trapped in Srinagar city alone that was inundated in flood waters during the intervening night of Saturday and SundayUnless the flood waters recede completely and we are able to reach all the submerged areas we cannot be sure about the exact toll in these floods a top state official said in SrinagarOfficials said Over 76500 marooned people have been rescued so far in the state but they also confirmed Wednesday that many more could still be trapped in submerged areasThe water level of the river Jhelum continued to recede in Srinagar and throughout the Kashmir Valley WednesdayAreas like Rajbagh Jwahar Nagar Gogjibagh Bemina Mehjor Nagar Karan Nagar and Qamarwari in the Srinagar city were still submerged under flood watersThirtyone people are still missing in the landslide tragedy in which 40 people died in Panchauri area in the Udhampur district Tuesday Deputy Inspector General of Police Garib Das told IANS WednesdayThe SrinagarJammu highway continued to remain closed for the seventh day Wednesday but traffic on the over 440kmlong SrinagarLeh highway was restored Tuesday This road connects the Kashmir Valley with the Ladakh regionAn acute crisis of petrol and kerosene had hit the Valley On Wednesday all filing stations in Srinagar said they had run out of fuelThe rescuers from the Indian Armed Forces and the National Disaster Response Force NDRF have distributed 8200 blankets and 650 tents so far to those affected by the floodsThe army also has distributed 150000 litres of water 26 tonnes of biscuits seven tonnes of baby food and 28000 food packets in the floodaffected areasAdditional water bottles are being airlifted from Chandigarh and Delhi In an endeavour to provide speedy medical aid to the affected populace 80 medical teams of the Armed Forces Medical Services have also swung into action the defence ministry statement saidSo far 79 transport aircraft and helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Army Aviation Corps have been pressed into serviceThe statement added that more relief material including 2000 hospital bed sheets blankets and tents water bottles and cooked food are being airlifted WednesdaySo far 613 sorties were undertaken by the helicopters and aircraft of the armed forces and 715 tonnes of relief materials were dropped by the Indian Air ForceAs many as 135 army boats and 148 inflatable boats of the NDRF are actively involved in the rescue operationTo restore road connectivity five task forces of Border Roads Organisation which include 5700 personnel have been pressed into serviceAs of now they have restored the road connectivity between Batote Kishtwar and Kishtwar Sinthan Pass The work between Sinthan Pass and Anantnag is in progress and Jammu to KM 172 is open for light vehicular traffic Jammu Poonch road has been cleared for traffic the statement saidFifteen engineering task force teams along with boats and other lifesaving equipment have reached the floodaffected areas to supplement the rescue operationThe situation was being continuously monitored at the headquarters of the Integrated Defence Staff IDS in New DelhiA fallout of the floods has been the breakdown of the communication systems in the Valley The radio station and Doordarshan facility have been shut for the last four daysAll cell phone service providers except Aircel went on the blink snapping connectivity