3 killed in rains, storm in Valley
Unprecedented snowfall in Sonamarg, situation improving
TNN Bureau. Updated: 6/13/2019 11:30:52 AM

SRINAGAR: Strong windstorm coupled with incessant rains over the past 24 hours resulted in death of three persons and injuries to two others, even as low lying areas in the Valley were inundated flash floods caused by heavy rains while unprecedented fresh snowfall occurred in Baltal and Sonamarg hill stations on Wednesday.

Over 100 sheep were killed while an important bridge was among crucial infrastructure damaged in the thunderstorm and lightning across Valley.

Jammu region also witnessed heavy rains over the intervening night, resulting into some relief for the residents which have been suffering from heatwave over the past couple of weeks.

Heavy rains have led to flash floods in parts of Baramulla district while a storm in Bandipora district left two women dead.

Shareefa Begum, 33, and 18-year-old Mubeena Bano died after a tree fell on them during a storm Tuesday night at Chandaji in Bandipora district, they said.

In another such incident, a 37-year-old man was killed and his two relatives were seriously injured on Tuesday night after a tree fell down on their makeshift tent due to strong winds and rains in Gund area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal.

Reports said that during the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday strong winds swept Kangan areas.

In the incident, a makeshift tent came under the falling tree resulting in on spot death of a 37-year-old man identified as Mohd Yousuf Kalada, son of Abdul Gani Kalada, a resident of Rajouri and his two relatives were seriously injured in Ramwari area of Gund Kangan.
The injured men identified as Ghulam Haider (33) Son of Dawood, Abdul Latief (30) son of Mehmood both the residents of Rajouri were later taken to hospital for the treatment.
Over 100 sheep were killed by lightning in Sarbal and Baltal areas of Ganderbal while an important bridge in Tangmarg area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district was damaged. The bridge connects 14 villages of Tangmarg including Chanderhama, Check, Changel, Wanigam, Kulhama, Darhama, Buderkote, Ringawari, Gogaldore, Darakashi, Mushikhur, Zandpal and Ganiwani with the national highway.
Overnight winds and continuous downpour caused huge damage to infrastructure in other parts of the valley too. The electricity supply is also affected in many places.
Fresh, unprecedented snowfall occurred in the month of June in Baltal and Sonamarg areas of north Kashmir's Ganderbal district on Wednesday.
Reports of fresh snowfall have also come from the Zojila Pass and Drass town of Kargil district.
Authorities are constantly monitoring the situation and have kept all staff connected with flood and emergency duties on high alert.
Reports from Baramulla district said some portion of Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road has been submerged at Hanjiwaira.
Many apple orchards in low lying areas have been inundated by flash floods in Baramulla and Bandipora districts. Flash floods have also hit Sukhnag Nallah in Badgam district.
Weather office has forecast improvement in weather conditions from later in the day.
"Weather will start improving from today evening. We are expecting sunny weather from tomorrow in the Valley. Minimum temperature was 10.5 degrees Celsius in Srinagar, 6.6 in Pahalgam and 5.0 in Gulmarg today.
"Leh town of Ladakh division recorded 8.0 as the minimum temperature today", officials of the MET department said.
Meanwhile, the Jhelum River is surging with water and has breached the flood alarm level, officials at the Irrigation and Flood Control Department said.
Against the flood alarm level of 18 ft at Sanagm in south Kashmir, the Jhelum gauge was already at 19.28 ft at 7 pm. The flood is formally being declared at 21 ft.
Earlier in the day, the I&FC department had asked people living on the twin banks in the south Kashmir to stay alert as the tributaries of the river are flowing with huge waters. All the low lying areas will have to stay extra cautious.
“The level may cross the danger level later tonight,” an official of the department said. “Water from all the tributaries is surging.” The official said that adequate staff has been deployed at all the vital places around Jhelum.
Jhelum gauge is operational at three major spots in south, centre and north of Kashmir. In Srinagar, the gauge at Ram Munshibagh flood alarm is being sounded at 16 ft and the flood is declared at 18 ft. At 7 pm, the level was measured at 16.49 ft.
In north Kashmir, the gauge is located at Asham. Its alarm level is at 13.5 ft and the flood declaration gauge at 14 ft. At 7 pm, the level was at 9.78 ft indicating that the flood water is still far away as the pace of the river is sluggish.
Reports from down south said that the water level in the tributaries has started stabilising. “It is getting down,” one resident living on the Veshu River said. Veshu, one of the fast flowing rivulets is the major devastator in south Kashmir.
Veshu that originates from Ahrabal was recorded flowing with a discharge of 6.19 meters at 7 pm against the danger mark of 7 meters. It shows a fall in comparison to 6 pm gauge. Same is true with the gauge level of Rambiara and Lidder. In comparison to 6 pm, level, both the rivulets had low discharge.



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