Floods wreak havoc in Kashmir, NE Pakistan

06/09/2014| IslamWeb

Heavy flooding hitting Kashmir and northeastern Pakistan has killed at least 100 people in the past two days and left some areas completely isolated.

There have been more than 70 reported deaths in Indian-held Kashmir since Sunday, with at least 35 reported dead after a bus was swept away on Thursday. Pakistan's disaster management authority reported another 14 in Pakistan-administered section of the region in the past two days, which Pakistan and India both lay claim to.

In the southern part of Indian-held Kashmir, dozens of bridges were swept away and 15 houses dismantled by the flood waters.

“If there is no more rain, then things could improve and we hope that there is no more rain,” said the engineer in charge of irrigation for Indian-held Kashmir, Javed Jaffer. “The river, channels and brooks have been overflowing their embankments and spilling into the areas around them and causing sudden floods.”

There were 51 deaths reported from Pakistan's northeastern Punjab region. Most of the deaths were caused by roofs collapsing under the weight of the rain.

The northeastern Pakistani districts of Gujranwala and Sialkot were worst affected, with waters inundating 45 villages and destroying a key embankment, cutting Gujranwala off from state capital Lahore.

The Pakistan army's media wing said that 45 people had been rescued from flood-hit areas by helicopters.

The Pakistan Meteorological Office has issued a flood warning that will stay in place until Saturday.

PHOTO CAPTION

A flooded area in Kashmir

AA