As many as 336 families from the flood-affected areas of Kupwara district were relocated to safer places on Monday by the District Administration Kupwara.
Of these, 198 families have been evacuated from Handwara tehsil alone. Also, 51 villages of the district have been partly affected, while 5 villages of Handwara have been fully affected by the floods.
It was given out that floods have damaged some major infrastructure assets in the district which include Shumriyal Bridge, Khumryal Bridge (side walls), Shatmuqam Bridge, Sohipora- Hayhama bridge, Farkyan bridge, two RDD buildings at Kupwara and AD Handicrafts office building. Shumryal- Gundajhanger road got cut-off due to scouring and a breach in Doban Kachama dam.
Meanwhile all the border roads have been closed due to fresh snowfall and avalanche threat. The District Administration has assured the general public that there is no need to panic as all the men and machinery have been pressed into service for necessary rescue, relief and restoration measures.
Water level is continuously monitored and evacuation measures are underway in the flood prone areas. It was also given out that 21 Shelter homes have been established across the district.
The general Public has been advised to approach the District Control Room headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner/Assistant Commissioner Revenue and Tehsil Level control Rooms, headed by the concerned Tehsildars, for any assistance. Meanwhile class work remained suspended in the schools of the district today.
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kupwara, Ayushi Sudan has directed for immediate restoration measures to connect Shumryal and Gundjahanger villages. The DC accompanied by other officers, during the day undertook an extensive tour of the affected areas, where she took stock of the flood situation and directed concerned to focus on evacuation measures so that precious lives are saved.
Later, she took a review of the flood situation in a meeting of the District Disaster Management Authority and passed directions to all the concerned people involved in the rescue, relief and restoration works. Ayushi urged the residents not to venture close to water bodies and Nallahs and cooperate with the District Administration—(KNO)
