Seven months after witnessing the unprecedented floods, Jammu and Kashmir was again in the grip of panic today as several areas of the Valley and parts of Jammu were in deluge leading to death of nine (rpt nine) people, including a child, and fears over the fate of eight (rpt eight) others.
Process to evacuate affected people was underway as eight teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) were rushed to Kashmir. Armed forces, along with four helicopters, have been placed in readiness for deployment at short notice after local authorities declared a flood situation in the Valley.
Promising all help, the central government granted Rs 200 crore as immediate relief as Prime Minister Narendra Modi rushed minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi to Kashmir for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation and coordinate with state authorities with regard to the requirements.
While making the announcement about Centre's grant, Chief Minister Mufti Sayeed said in the Assembly that the state government has sanctioned Rs 25 crore for Kashmir and Rs 10 crore for Jammu region which also has been affected by flood.
Police said eight (rpt eight) people have died while eight (rpt eight) others are believed to be trapped under the debris after a landslide brought down four houses in central Kashmir's Budgam district.
The deceased include four women and a child, a police official said, adding efforts are on to identify them.
Search is going on for eight (rpt eight) others believed to be trapped in the debris of the fallen houses.
Sayeed said there was an "unfortunate" death in Udhampur and there have been some flash floods in Jammu as well.
Due to heavy rains over the past 36 hours, river Jhelum was flowing above the danger mark at several places including Sangam in Anantnag district and Ram Munshi Bagh in the city.
Flood water entered several low-lying areas of Kashmir, including capital Srinagar, leading to panic among the locals for whom memories of the devastating deluge only seven months back are fresh in mind.
Over 280 people had died and tens of thousands left homeless and property worth hundreds of crores damaged in unprecedented floods in the state in September last year.
Incessant rains over the past 36 hours in Kashmir has caused landslides at many places while people from many areas vulnerable to floods have been evacuated to safer places.
More than 320 families have been moved to safer places in Kashmir valley as water level in river Jhelum was still above the flood level.
Over 250 families were shifted to safer places yesterday and 80 more families were evacuated today, police said.
More than 200 structures including 176 houses have developed cracks due to land sinking in Shopian district of south Kashmir, it said.
