Thousands flee homes as panic grips City

Fearing breaches in Jhelum embankments, thousands of residents in the summer capital are bracing for another possible bout of floods. Many people have already fled their houses after Meteorological Department predicted torrential rains in coming days.
At least 1500 families fled their homes in Shivpora, Sonwar, Jawahar Nagar, Gogji Bagh, Mehjoor Nagar and Padrethan. These areas were worst hit in last year’s floods following dozens of breaches in Jhelum banks around these localities.
“This time we can’t take a chance as we have suffered a lot last time. Our area is under knee-deep water. We have already shifted our belongings as we have decided to move to safer place,” said Mushtaq Ahmad of Batwara.
“Last year we had to survive without food and water for days together,” he said.
Another local resident Muhmmad Abdullah told that the newly constructed houses are vulnerable. “Even if the volume of water entering the locality is low, there is a high risk of damage,” he added.
Many shopkeepers have also shifted the merchandize of their shops to safer places. “It is a dangerous situation as the newly repaired banks can break even with less flow,” said a dry fruit vendor.
Last year’s floods killed over 280 people in Jammu and Kashmir. Much of the damage was caused due to major breaches in Jhelum embankments.
“If incessant rains resume it would be enough to inundate areas living close to the banks. There is high risk for those living behind deteriorating walls where breaches happened last year,” said an official of Irrigation and Flood Control Department.
The possibility of breaches near Batwara and Shivpora localities has panicked the residents and prompted them to shift to safer places. Last year nearly nine breaches had paved way for flood waters ravaging the residential houses.
Officials have already issued a flood alert in Srinagar, urging people living along Jhelum banks to move to safer places.
Anxious residents were roaming around the Jhelum embankments at Batwara, Shivpora and Padrethan to gauge the mood of Jhelum waters.
Landslide killed 16 persons in Budgam and heavy downstream water flow breached flood spill channel in Hamdaniya Colony Bemina. As the news of the casualties reached residents in Jawahar Nagar and Gogji Bagh, they began shifting their belongings. Next day they moved to safer places.