People should not panic, Flood threat over: Admin

• Eight people, three army men killed due to avalanche, drowning
• 25-minute hailstorm damages growing fruits in Tral villages

After two days of flood threat, the water level in the river Jhelum and other streams is receding relieving the valleyites woes. However, the weatherman has predicted more light rains in the next 24 hours.
Chief Engineer Irrigation & Flood Control (I&FC) department, Muhammad Hanief Lone told Kashmir Post that the people should not panic as the water level in the river and other tributaries is receding.
“The water in the river Jhelum, which was flowing above the danger level till yesterday night, is receding from Friday morning. There is no need to panic now as water level is decreasing quickly,” Lone said.
He said that the water level recorded at Sangam in Anantnag was 19.25 while at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar was 19.80 in the afternoon.
Meanwhile, the weatherman said that a weak Western Disturbances, which create clouds and precipitation over Himalayan mountain range, are still prevailing over the Valley, which may result in intermittent light rainfall at many places over the next 24 hours.
“There is possibility of occasional sunshine as well,” an official of the Meteorological (MeT) department told Kashmir Post.
The official said that weather will be dry from Sunday morning till Tuesday, with light precipitation likely to occur as “isolated” places in Kashmir on Saturday. For two days on Wednesday and Thursday, light rain may occur are isolated places as Western Disturbance is likely to hit Valley after Apr 13 onwards.
Meanwhile, Eight people including three army troopers were killed as avalanches hit different areas and extreme downpour caused minor floods in some parts of J&K.
Government officials told Kashmir Post that father son duo of Kargil was buried in avalanche, a minor girl in Kupwara was drowned, a woman in Rajouri was struck by lightning, while another man was drowned in Kokernag area, when the vehicle he was travelling in plunged into the river. Another man is still missing in Kokernag area.
Meanwhile, three army men were killed in Batalik sector in J&K’s Ladakh region, as multiple avalanches hit the army post on Thursday afternoon due to extreme weather conditions in the state.
Kashmir Post has learnt that two army men rescued from the spot have received injuries and have been shifted to hospital. The bodies of two army men killed were retrieved on Thursday evening while third army man who was killed was retrieved on Friday morning.
A 25-minute hailstorm on Friday afternoon damaged growing fruits in different villages of Tral sub-division of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
Locals and witnesses said that the hailstones rained in the area, causing extensive damage to the growing fruits.
The affected villages, among others, include Lurgam, Lurow, Nader, Panzoo and Kuchmullah.