SYED AMJAD SHAH
Jammu, Aug 8: While fresh rains this forenoon, after a brief lull, led to collapse of half a dozen structures across Jammu city and the water level in Chenab River continue to fluctuate near the danger mark of 35 feet, at least 331 families were affected in flash flood, which washes away around 1500 kanals of land in Marwah area of Kishtwar district.
Heavy downpour that continued for over one and a half hour also forced disruption of vehicular traffic on Jammu-Poonch highway and landing of flights at Jammu airport.
Like previous days most of the roads in Jammu city were submerged during the rainfall. The rain water, as per the eyewitnesses, also gushed into the residential houses and shops in several localities.
Official sources revealed around 331 families were affected following a flash flood which struck in a local nallah in Marwah- a remote area in district Kishtwar-triggered due to heavy down pour.
“The flash flood struck Charju village of the tehsil, late last night, affecting at least two hamlets”, Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar GR Bhagat told Greater Kashmir, over phone.
Though no loss of life or property was reported, till now, report from the area reveals that a fresh flash flood in the Nallah could lead to disaster. Around 1500 kanals of the land was washed away in the flood but villagers were safe, he added.
“I am personally leading a team of official, including from health and engineering wings, to the area to access the loss the help the affected people”, he said
Confirming the reports, Divisional Commissioner (Jammu) Dr Pawan Kotwal told Greater Kashmir that the situation was under control in the area and a team of officials will be visiting the village.
Referring to the people living along the Chenab River, he said that two days back the authorities had sounded an alert in the low line areas in tehsil Akhnoor i.e. Darkhal, and Natyal after flash flood water gushed in some houses. Today, he said that the Chenab was flowing below the danger mark.
However, Jammu-Srinagar highway remained opened throughout the day with no reports of traffic disruption from any place along the 300km artery road.
Hundreds of vehicles stranded on Jammu-Poonch national near Akhnoor along the mighty Chenab River for over half-an-hour due to heavy rainfall. However the normal traffic was restored on the said highway after the rains stopped.
The officials in flood control department said that the maximum level in Chenab was recorded at 33 feet during the down pour and which aftermath showed a receding trend as by 4 pm, the water level came down to 32 feet.
“The people leaving along Tawi, Chenab, Basanter, and Ujja rivers have been kept on high alert following the prediction of more thundershowers in next 24 hours” official sources said.
Due to prevailing inclement weather condition in Jammu, two flights could not land at Jammu Air Port on time because of low visibility in the afternoon.
“The Spice Jet flight carrying passengers from Srinagar could not land on the scheduled time of 12 noon due to low visibility and it was diverted to New Delhi and later the same flight returned in the evening,” SP Airport ML Mehra told Greater Kashmir.
SP Mehra said that another flight of Kingfisher, from Chandigarh was also diverted to Srinagar as it too failed to land on the run way in Jammu airport. Later, both these flights made successful landing after the weather was clear. He, however, said that expect these two flights rest of the air traffic was normal and no other disturbance was caused during the day.
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