Death toll climbs to 280
Army calls off its rescue mission in J&K, relief work to go on
20/09/2014
SRINAGAR: The death toll due to the floods in Jammu and Kashmir has climbed to 280 even as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today expressed hope that the toll would not be as high as feared earlier.
"The death toll in Jammu is 203 including the 44 members of a marriage party who are missing since there bus as washed away (in Rajouri district)," Omar said.
The rescue workers have so far recovered 77 bodies from different parts of Kashmir Valley.
"Other than the 44 persons from Jammu, we do not have many people reported missing. If there would have been, we would have got to know by as communication systems have started working," he said.
Omar also dismissed rumours that dogs were eating bodies of flood victims or that some bodies had swept away to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
"There is no truth in these rumours," he added.
Jammu and Kashmir has been hit by the worst-ever floods which have wreaked havoc in several districts.
However Army today called off its 'Operation Megh Rahat' to rescue people stranded in flooded areas of Jammu and Kashmir, but its relief efforts will continue in the state.
"Operation Megh Rahat which continued for the past two weeks has been called off, while the relief and medical assistance will continue," an Army release said.
"Restoration of road network has also been largely achieved and efforts are continuing to improve the trafficability on damaged roads," it said.
The Army said the activities of the force under 'Operation Sadbhavna' will continue and the Northern Command would provide support in close synergy with the civil administration and the police.
The force had deployed around 30,000 troops, along with 84 helicopters and transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force, for rescue and relief operations.
The National Disaster Response Force had also actively participated in the operations providing help to the local people and rescuing them in their marooned houses.
Flood water have started receding but many of the Army's own bases have been under water for the past two weeks.
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