Srinagar, June 22: The incessant rains and the fresh snowfall in upper reaches led to an alarming situation in Kashmir as the water levels rose in most water bodies here with the Jhelum River crossing the flood declaration mark at Sangam in Anantnag district and in Srinagar at Ram Munshi Bagh, officials said.
A high alert has been sounded in areas close to river Chenab and its tributaries, they said.
Snowfall in the higher reaches including the holy cave shrine of Amarnath has brought down the day temperature substantially.
The authorities even sounded flood-alarm in Srinagar after Jhelum crossed the danger mark in Srinagar.
Superintending Engineer (SE) Hydraulic Circle Srinagar, Ganderbal, Gurcharan Singh said, “Flood-alarm was also sounded in Srinagar after Jhelum breached 16-ft mark at Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar.”
“As Ram Munshi Bagh crossed its normal by 0.21 ft and Sangam was overflowing by 1.69ft of its normal 21 ft, the men and machinery already placed on active mode were pressed into action,” Chief Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Er. Naresh Kumar said.
He assured that as of now there does not seem any severe flood threat in the valley as water level has started receding at Sangam in district Anantnag which will be followed by Ram Munshi Bagh in Srinagar.
The official informed that the overall situation in the valley is under control with the highest level of vigil being maintained by the department after the water level crossed the flood declaration mark at Sangam and Ram Munshi Bagh.
The claims were seconded by SE Hydraulic Circle Srinagar, Ganderbal, Gurcharan Singh, who said, “The water level at Sangam and Vishow Nallah has started receding, and the water raising frequency at Ram Munshi Bagh has also decreased. We are expecting that in the next 3-4 hours water level at Ram Munshi Bagh will also start receding.”
The SE also said that flood channels and spillover channels have also been opened on Wednesday afternoon and a major discharge of Jhelum is going towards Wular as well.
“There is no need to panic and as of now people should avoid visiting the river banks and nallahs as the situation is being closely monitored”, he added.
A breach in a temporary diversion along the banks of Vaishov stream in south Kashmir’s Chamgund area in Kulgam district was also reported.
Several vehicles were also stranded on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway after it was closed for the second day due to landslides and mudslides in the Ramban-Udhampur sector.
The flood like situation forced the authorities in some districts to order the suspension of classwork up to high schools.
“In view of very heavy rains in Anantnag district, class work in all primary, middle and high schools of the district shall remain suspended today,” Deputy Commissioner Anantnag Dr. Piyush Singla ordered.
District administration Ramban also tweeted that all Schools across Ramban District, including Hr. Secondary Schools shall remain closed on Wednesday in view of heavy rainfall and overflowing of nallahs/ mudslides at several locations.
Meanwhile, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Rajeev Rai Bhatnagar on Wednesday paid a visit to Flood Control Room Ram Munshi Bagh to assess the flood situation across the Jammu and Kashmir and held a detailed meeting with the senior officers of Irrigation and Flood Control wing of Jal Shakti Department and evaluated the overall flood scenario across the UT.
The snowfall in upper reaches and rains in p lains have brought the mercury down as Srinagar recorded the coldest June day in almost seven years as per the India Meteorological Department (IMD) department Kashmir.
Srinagar on Tuesday had recorded the lowest maximum temperature of 15.0 degrees Celsius.
According to data available with the IMD Srinagar, the coldest recorded June day was in 2015 when the mercury settled at a high of 15.2 degrees Celsius.