J&K floods: Army launches operation to rescue 9 jawans after boat capsizes; Rajnath Singh monitors situation

At least 88 people have lost their lives due to massive floods in the state.

A flood-affected villager being rescued using a rope by the army at Thanamandi village of Rajouri on Friday. (Source: PTI)

The Army has launched a rescue operation in South Kashmir’s Pulwama area to rescue nine army personnel who got stuck in floods after their boat capsized.

The incident took place in Pulwama area where several villages are flooded. Army’s rescue team moving in a boat capsized due to fast currents. While two soldiers have been rescued, nine others are inside the water some distance away.

Army spokesman told The Indian Express that 11 soldiers were moving in a boat that capsized. “Two of them have been moved to safer places while 9 are struck and efforts are being made to rescue them.”

People standing on terraces of houses located on the banks of river Tawi looks on as the river rages on in Saturday. (Source: PTI)

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Army has launched operation Sathaya – (Help) for flood affected people across the state and pressed 73 columns into operation. In the past two days, Army has rescued 5000 people in different parts of the Valley.

Meanwhile, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday arrived in Srinagar to monitor the flood situation in the Valley. Around 100 people lost their lives and thousands were displaced due to nature’s fury across the state.

The Home Minister was scheduled to go for an aerial survey of the flood affected villages of the Valley, but due to bad weather, his helicopter could not take off from the airport.

A collapsed crusher machine on the banks of raging Tawi river in Jammu on Saturday. (Source: PTI)

Singh had a meeting with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah where both discussed steps to meet the situation arising out of the worst floods in the state in six decades.

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After briefing the Home Minister, Omar himself drove Singh through the Srinagar city which is witnessing heavy rainfall since morning.

Home Minister was scheduled to have an aerial survey of the flood affected villages of the Valley, but due to bad weather, helicopter of Home Minister could not take off from the airport.

Singh along with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah will now visit the flood affected areas of the city and later hold a meeting with the J&K chief minister.

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Flood situation has worsened in the last few days in Jammu and Kashmir where several rivers have been flowing above
the danger mark and most parts of south Kashmir, including Pulwama, Anantnag and Kulgam district have been submerged.

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The water level in Rambiara stream in Shopian district was also seen rising fast. Flood situation in Rajouri, Reasi and Udhampur districts continues to be grim.

The Home Minister is also accompanied by Secretary (Border Management) Snehlata Kumar and Additional Director General of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF).

(With inputs from PTI)

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