Flood scare subsides, Jhelum recedes

Srinagar, Aug 28: A day after panic gripped Kashmir when the Jhelum River breached the danger mark, the situation eased on Thursday with authorities confirming that the water levels had begun to recede.

The development brought much-needed relief to residents who had spent a tense night fearing a repeat of past floods.

Officials monitoring the Jhelum at Ram Munshi Bagh and other places said the river had started to flow below the danger level.

“There is no immediate threat now, but our teams are on alert and monitoring continues round the clock,” said an official.

Even as the flood scare subsided, the aftermath of two days of continuous downpour left its mark on Kashmir.

Several low-lying areas, including Rajbagh, Kursu Rajbagh, Zainakadal, and adjoining neighbourhoods in Srinagar, were hit by waterlogging, forcing residents to wade through knee-deep waters.

Meanwhile, commuters and pedestrians said the biggest ordeal was on the roads.

The stretch at Badami Bagh-Pandrethan was waterlogged, bringing traffic to a crawl and leaving vehicles stranded for hours.

“It took me half an hour to cover a distance that usually takes 10 minutes. Small cars were breaking down in the middle of the road, and pedestrians had no space to walk,” said Rahil Ahmad, a commuter.

Shopkeepers in the low lying areas were also hit by waterlogging.

“In fear of water entering the front portion of our shops, we had cleared many perishable goods. Customers also stayed away from entering the area, fearing the mess of waterlogging,” said a shopkeeper in Srinagar uptown.

Residents said that while they were relieved that the Jhelum had receded, the problem of poor drainage had made daily life equally difficult.

“The real issue is not just floods, but the fact that even a day of rain leaves our roads submerged. Authorities need to fix the drainage system before the next wet spell,” said Suhail Ahmad, a local from the Pandrethan area.

Authorities have appealed for calm and urged people not to panic.

They said the evacuations done on Wednesday were precautionary.

“The worst seems behind us, but people must remain cautious and avoid venturing near water bodies,” an official said.

Due to the let-up in the rain, the Jhelum dropped below the flood alert level at Sangam in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, the official said.

The Meteorological department said that the weather in Kashmir remained mostly dry during the day, but a brief spell of rain was likely at a few places towards late afternoon and late night.

A spell of light to moderate rain at scattered to fairly widespread places with a possibility of moderate to heavy rain or thundershowers in a few districts of Jammu is likely from August 30 to September 1, it said.

From September 2 to 6, a brief spell of rain or thundershowers is expected at a few places, it said.

Addressing a news conference, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Anshul Garg said that while the situation was under control and there was no need to panic, the coming fortnight would be crucial.

“The water levels are receding, the levels at Sangam and Ram Munshibagh are receding, and the weather forecast is similar for the next couple of days,” he said. “If there is a rain forecast, our teams will work round-the-clock. I also hope we will continue to get the same cooperation from the people that we have got so far.”

Garg appealed to people to stay alert and follow the advisories issued by the administration and the Meteorological Department.

“People living near streams and tributaries need to stay alert as the next 10-15 days are important. Our district disaster management teams will be on the ground to monitor the situation round-the-clock,” he said.

“The district emergency control rooms and the union territory-level emergency control room will continue to work round-the-clock so that people can reach out to the administration,” Garg said.

He said while these were short-term measures for the next 15-20 days till the weather improves and the monsoon system recedes, there was a need for taking long-term measures.

Garg invited suggestions from people on medium and long-term measures needed to be taken to address any such eventuality in the coming years.

“We have directions to work on the long-term measures as well,” he said.

The divisional commissioner lauded the departments for their good work.

“We have been able to learn from the past challenges and take measures accordingly,” he said.

The waters reached a 10-year high at Sangam and Ram Munshibagh, but there was no loss, Garg said.

“This also tells you about the good restoration works undertaken. There may be challenges, but I assure you that they will be examined and action will be taken,” he said.

About the disruptions in mobile connectivity, Garg said there was extensive damage to optical fibre cables in Jammu, but teams were working on restoration.

Hopefully, full restoration will take place in the next few hours, he said.