FLOODS IN SRINAGAR Education institutes closed for 3 days as Jhelum’s water level rises

J&K CM MEHBOOBA MUFTI, WHO HELD A REVIEW MEETING, ASKED OFFICIALS TO SET UP A UNIFIED CONTROL ROOM TO MONITOR THE SITUATION

From page 1 SRINAGAR: Three soldiers were missing after multiple avalanches tore through Kashmir’s Batalik sector on Thursday as the valley reeled under unprecedented rain and snow that swelled rivers and inundated vast areas over the past three days.

WASEEM ANDRABI/HTVehicles and commuters wade through a waterlogged street in Srinagar on Thursday after fresh snowfall. Snowfall and rain have forced the authorities to close schools and colleges even as the only all­weather road link connecting the Valley with the rest of India has been cut off.

Two civilians are also missing after a vehicle they were travelling in skidded of the road and fell into a stream in Anantnag district. Five other passengers were rescued.

The administration declared floods in Kashmir’s summer capital Srinagar where the Jhelum’s water level rose alarmingly and shut education institutions for three days, officials said.

The met office said the weather was likely to improve from Thursday as panic set in the valley which had seen death and devastation after torrential rain had triggered a deluge in 2014, the worst in many decades.

Kashmir experienced rare snowfall in April with vast areas blanketed in white due to the freak weather phenomemon.

An army spokesperson said the heavy snowfall triggered multiple avalanches, burying one post in the Batalik sector.

While two out of five trapped soldiers rescued were rescue, operations were on to trace the three others.

Specially trained and equipped avalanche rescue teams have been deployed for the operations in the area.

The administration also issued an avalanche warning for next the 24 hours in Kashmir valley and Kargil district.

In Srinagar, officials declared flood after the Jhelum’s water level crossed 18 feet in Ram Munshibagh area in the evening.

Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, who held a review meeting, asked officials to set up a unified control room to monitor the situation. She also directed chalking out contingency plans for flood-prone areas and make available nearby buildings in case of emergency evacuations.

Kashmir divisional commissioner Baseer Ahmad Khan asked deputy commissioners to arrange buses and boats for evacuation of people