Water gushes into residential houses, schools

Anantnag: A cloudburst and the subsequent inundation led to panic in some villages in the Tangmarg area of Noorabad here in Kulgam district of south Kashmir on Saturday.

No fatality or injuries to anyone have been reported from the area, while this report was being filed.

The incident took place late Saturday afternoon in the upper reaches of the Tangmarg area. “The cloudburst took place in the upper reaches but there was a sudden downflow of water soon after the cloudburst took place,” a local source told Kashmir Reader.

He said that water gushed into residential houses in at least a couple of villages, apple orchards, and schools while inundating the roads as well.

Local sources told Kashmir Reader that there was widespread panic following the cloudburst and the inundation in the area.

“People could be seen running to safer places while some of them tried to relocate their belongings in their house,” the sources said, “Despite the panic, the situation was under control in the area,”

Kashmir Reader talked to Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Noorabad, Bashir-ul-Hassan, who confirmed what the source had already told this reporter.

“Following the cloudburst water has gushed into residential houses and some roads have been inundated,” Hassan said, adding that disaster management teams were immediately rushed to take stock of the situation in the affected area.

Hassan said that the concerned Tehsildar was on the ground, monitoring the situation while the Deputy Commissioner of the district was in constant touch with the ground staff.

“Essentials, including food kits, have been rushed to the villages in case there was a need for that,” he said. Hassan said that preliminary reports do not suggest any damages caused by the cloudburst or the inundation.

“However, a further assessment of the situation will be carried out at a later stage and after a determination of the quantum of loss, further action will be taken,” he said.

Suhail A Shah