The Jammu and Kashmir Police, with the help of SDRF, rescued 165 students of Government Boys School, Hirpora, in Shopian who were trapped in flood waters in South Kashmir on Friday. Heavy rains have triggered a flood situation in the Valley.
Besides, six persons trapped in the Tawi river in Jammu because of flash floods were also rescued by a team of SDRF and Civil Defence.
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The authorities are keeping close vigil on the flood situation. Highways and many interior roads are shut due to landslides caused due to heavy rain.
The Amarnath pilgrimage has also been suspended due to bad weather.
Movement of pilgrims to the shrine via the Baltal route was totally suspended due to the non-stop rain in the entire Yatra area since 27 June.
However, 1263 pilgrims proceeded from the Pahalgam route to Sheshnag on Friday morning.
In view of the situation arising due to incessant rains in Kashmir, Governor N N Vohra, with Advisor B B Vyas and officers from other departments concerned, reviewed the flood preparedness on Friday evening. He directed the divisional commissioner of Kashmir and all deputy commissioners of Kashmir division to establish control rooms and notify helpline numbers for information of the general public.
Earlier in the day, on the directions of the governor, a team of officers from the irrigation and flood control department carried out a safety audit of the embankments of the rivers and nullahs for any corrective action that may be required to be taken.
The people living along the embankments of Jhelum river and low lying areas of South Kashmir have been asked to remain vigilant.
All deputy commissioners have been asked to keep adequate supplies available at rescue, relief shelters and to maintain a close watch on the vulnerable and critical areas.
Meanwhile, the meteorological department has forecast improvement in weather from Saturday.
