130 flood-hit residents shifted to relief centre in J-K’s Rajouri
Rajouri/Jammu, Jul 19 (PTI) At least 130 people were evacuated to a relief centre established by the district administration at the Government Higher Secondary School in the flood-hit town of Rajouri in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, officials said.
Flash floods triggered by incessant overnight rainfall have left a large number of families homeless after floodwaters swept away an entire slum settlement and damaged several houses and shops along the river in the border town.
The worst-hit area was the slum colony comprising more than 100 makeshift shelters, which was completely washed away in the flooding. In addition, several residential houses and commercial establishments located along the riverbank in the Gujjar Mandi and Abdullah Bridge stretch also suffered extensive damage, with many structures being washed away by the strong current.
In response to the humanitarian crisis, the district administration established a relief centre at Government Boys Higher Secondary School, Rajouri, where displaced families are being provided temporary shelter and essential facilities, officials said.
Rajouri District Statistics and Evaluation Officer Sandeep Sharma, who has been designated as the nodal officer for the relief centre, said all necessary arrangements have been put in place to accommodate families rendered homeless by the floods.
He said around 165 affected families have so far been identified for relocation to the relief centre. “Of these, 25 families comprising nearly 130 persons have shifted to the facility, while the remaining families are being relocated in a phased manner.”
The administration is continuing rescue and relief operations in the affected areas, with officials monitoring the situation and extending assistance to flood-hit residents, officials said.
Earlier, talking to PTI, Rajouri Deputy Commissioner Abhishek Sharma said the overall situation in the district remains worrisome as flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall have caused extensive damage to both public and private infrastructure.
“One woman has lost her life, while a Jal Shakti Department employee remains missing. Search efforts are underway to trace the missing person,” Sharma said.
He said the district administration, assisted by police, the SDRF, NDRF and other agencies, has rescued many people from flood-affected areas and shifted them to safer locations.
Relief and restoration operations are continuing on a war footing to restore normalcy and ensure the uninterrupted supply of essential services to the affected population, he said.
Sharma said the power and road sectors have been among the worst-affected, with several roads washed away or blocked by landslides and flood debris, while electricity infrastructure has suffered extensive damage, leading to widespread outages in several areas.
Restoration teams have been deployed, and work is underway to reopen road connectivity and restore power supply at the earliest, he said.
