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Unprecedented Flood Havoc In Jammu & Kashmir - Report
13.09.2014
   

Geographical Location

Jammu and Kashmir is home to several valleys such as the Kashmir Valley, Tawi Valley, Chenab Valley, Poonch Valley, Sind Valley and Lidder Valley. The main Kashmir valley is 100 km wide and 15,520 Sq km in area. The Himalayas divide the Kashmir valley from Ladakh while the Pir Panjal range, which encloses the valley from the west and the south, separates it from the Great Plains of northern India. Along the northeastern flank of the Valley runs the main range of the Himalayas. This densely settled and beautiful valley has an average height of 1,850 metres (6,070 ft) above sea-level but the surrounding Pir Panjal range has an average elevation of 5,000 metres (16,000 ft).

The Jhelum River is the only major Himalayan river which flows through the Kashmir valley. The Indus, Tawi, Ravi and Chenab are the other important rivers flowing through the state. Jammu and Kashmir is home to several Himalayan glaciers. With an average altitude of 5,753 metres (18,875 ft) above sea-level, the Siachen Glacier is 70 km (43 mi) long making it the longest Himalayan glacier. The state is broadly divided in two divisions ie Jammu and Kashmir. Its long boundary with Pakistan has risky ice clad mountains at several stretches,.

The Disaster

 

The entire state experienced excessive rains after 3rd September 2014. Till then the state had received 308mm rainfall, christened “deficient”, and by 6th September it had received 558mm, termed “excess” by the Indian Meteorological Dept. The widespread heavy rains inundated large areas, including the state capital, where among others, the Government Secretariat, Reserve Bank and the hub of commercial activity, Lal Chowk are under water. So far more than 200 people are reported dead and over 60 are missing. Several areas are cut from each-other and are inaccessible. This kind of rain and flooding has not been witnessed in the last 60 years.
In addition to extensive loss of lives, at least seven people were killed and about 20 went missing after a landslide, triggered by heavy rains, buried 24 houses in Udhampur district. The flood waters from major rivers and streams have damaged many buildings, including hospitals, and snapped road and communication links, cutting off many areas. The Army cantonment, Civil Secretariat and the High Court in Srinagar have been inundated. Transmission at Radio Kashmir Srinagar has also stopped. Communication system has been disrupted. While the situation eased a little in Jammu, large areas in Kashmir are still inundated.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the flood situation on 7th September and termed it a national level disaster.

Government Action

The Indian army, state government and religious/voluntary organizations are working on rescue and relief front.

In Jammu and Kashmir, water level continues to recede in flood-affected areas of Srinagar as well as in river Jhelum. However, several areas of Srinagar are still submerged under 6 to 10 feet of water.

Union Health Ministry has sent over 100 tonnes of medicines and other supplies besides teams of doctors and experts to the State. 20 member team of doctors comprising physicians, pediatricians and reproductive health officials have been deployed in Srinagar. The Ministry has set up a control room in Delhi to monitor the situation round the clock.

RED CROSS ACTION (at state level)

The district and regional branches at Jammu and Sri Nagar, under the guidance of the State Branch, have been working from the onset of the disaster. The trained First Medical Responders (FMRs), first-aiders and staff have been supplementing the state and army efforts in evacuation. They rescued 700 people, among others, a pregnant lady and two drowning boys.

 

Rescued people were also transported to the local hospital. About 100 Red Cross FMRs are working although several of them have been affected by the situation. The state branch has some members of the National Disaster Response Team (NDRT) and National Disaster Watsan Response Team (NDWRT) along with Master trainers for FMRs who are in the forefront providing leadership and services. The state branch building is inundated hence the office has been shifted, to another location.

The state branch is operational round the clock and has requested for family packs, tents, tarpaulins, blankets and deployment of NDRT and National Water-Sanitation Team (NDWRT).

The Jammu Regional branch informed that the schools and polytechnic college are temporary shelters where, among others, Red Cross has provided breakfast and dinner. At Kathua, the district branch has distributed, along with food items, 50 family tents. The relief supplies being received from other sources are also being handed over to the Red Cross in Jammu to organize smooth distribution.

RED CROSS ACTION (NHQ).

The IRCS National Headquarters is constantly monitoring the situation. It is in regular touch with the state, regional branches. Review meetings along with the movement partners are being held regularly to share the work done as well as to plan the next course of action. The headquarters is in close contact with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare as well as with the state branch to get updates.

At the outset, keeping in view the severity of the disaster the NHQ dispatched 1100 tents, 750 tarpaulins, 1000 kitchen sets, 2500 woolen blankets, 400 windcheaters and visibility material for the volunteers and the local branches by the IAF flight to Srinagar. Subsequently, relief was also dispatched to Jammu by rail that included 400 Family packs, 1000 additional blankets and 500 additional tarpaulins.

On 11th September 2014, as per the needs of the state Red Cross branch and in consultation with the Government of India, two large Water Purification Units (WPUs) with the capacity to produce 3000 litres of drinking water per hour and six small WPUs that has the capacity to produce upto 700 liters of drinking water per hour have also been lifted to Srinagar. One large machine has already been installed at Srinagar and distribution of water has started and the other is in process of being installed in Avantipur. They are accompanied by a team of trained officers from the National HQ who will assess the situation and technicians to install the machines. The total value of the relief supplies dispatched is to the tune of Rs 2.8 crore.

A Joint Assessment Team has also been dispatched to Jammu on 11th September 2014 by the National HQ to review the intervention so far and to plan further course of action.

Further relief supplies that include blankets, solar lanterns and sanitation equipments are being readied for dispatch to Srinagar and Jammu.

 
 
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