One swept away in Budgam as heavy rain swells streams across J&K
Srinagar, Jul 21: A person went missing after being swept away by raging floodwaters in Jammu and Kashmir’s Budgam district, as many areas in the valley were lashed by rains, with a few places receiving heavy rainfall leading to an increase in the levels in several water bodies, officials said on Tuesday.
The weather office has forecast a few spells of rain and thundershowers at most places with heavy rain and brief intense heavy showers in a few districts of J-K till July 23. It has warned of rockfalls, landslides and flashfloods at places.
Raging floodwaters swept dozens of shops in a complex in Beerwah built near the embankment of a stream, the officials added.
They said heavy rainfall over the upper areas in the Beerwah area of the central Kashmir district caused Sukhnag nallah to overflow.
A man was washed away by the floodwaters in a stream in Khag area of the district, the officials said.
He was identified as Shabir Ahmad Poswal, a resident of Drang area of Baramulla district. Rescue efforts are on, they added.
According to local residents, the stream touched its highest water level since the 2014 floods in the valley, the officials said.
Floodwaters also washed away the Sukhnag Diversion at Beerwah, and caused infrastructure damage to a newly constructed bridge.
The water levels also increased in the streams in Tangmarg area of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, the officials said.
They said the floodwaters entered a few houses and damaged the agricultural/horticultural land.
The Meteorological Department said it rained moderately at many places in Kashmir, with isolated heavy or intense showers at a few places of Budgam, Kupwara, Baramulla, Ganderbal, parts of South Kashmir and Chenab Valley.
It said intense showers and thunderstorms over northwest and central parts of the valley would continue over the next few hours, and may generate localised flashfloods, mudslides and landslides.
It said major chances of shooting stones and rockfalls at a few vulnerable areas of hilly districts of J-K are also possible.
The Met office advised people to stay away from nallas, streams and landslide-prone areas. (PTI)
