Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the situation arising from heavy rains and flooding in the Jammu region and expressed gratitude for his assurance of continued assistance to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Relentless rains pounded large parts of Jammu province on Tuesday, causing havoc in the region that witnessed landslides, inundation of low-lying areas and the washing away of several roads and bridges.A landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine has left 32 people dead, while four other were killed in Jammu’s Doda district in separate rain-related incidents.
“I have spoken to the Prime Minister just a while ago. I briefed him about the situation. I thank him for the deployment of NDRF teams. He has assured me that all support will be given by the central government to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Abdullah told reporters here.
Abdullah, who made a whirlwind visit to the flood-affected areas of Jammu, said on X that he briefed the prime minister about the situation in the worst-hit areas as he toured parts of Jammu, along the banks of the Tawi, that saw extensive damage yesterday. “I am grateful for his assurance of continued assistance to the people of J-K,” he said.
The chief minister said they were slightly relieved as the rain had stopped on Wednesday.
“As compared to yesterday, we have got slight relief today (Wednesday) with the fact that rains have stopped. Water is slowly receding in low-lying areas. The damage caused by floods is before you. This bridge has been damaged,” he said.
Abdullah referred to the damage caused to the fourth bridge on the river Tawi in Jammu city during the 2014 floods and said, “I was telling the Divisional Commissioner that in 2014, the bridge had suffered damage at the same spot.
“There is a danger on this side which we were unable to understand properly. Expert teams have to be put on the job to find out why there was damage on this side in 2014 and again today. We will have to take measures so that it does not recur.”
Focusing on the threat faced by the people living along the banks of rivers and flood channels, he said, “The houses along the river will always be in danger whenever heavy rains occur. We will have to do something about this. First, we will deal with the current situation, and later, we will look into that.”
He said the rains have stopped, water is receding in the river and relief operations have picked up speed.
Referring to the situation in other districts following heavy rains and flash floods, he said that for some days, the situation was bad, particularly in low-lying areas of Jammu, Samba, and Kathua, besides Udhampur and areas close to rivers in Doda and Kishtwar.
“Some districts, which were apprehended to suffer damage, were saved. Rajouri and Poonch areas are okay. First, let us get out of this rain-related problem; then an assessment will be carried out about the damage to houses. After that, a package will be formulated,” he said.
On the question of people having constructed houses on flood channels, he said, “We will have to take measures, particularly for those living in flood-prone areas. They will have to be settled somewhere else. Their houses get repeatedly damaged whenever floods come.”