Leh Cloudburst: Over 100 feared death in Leh floods

Torrential rainfall and cloudbursts in the mountainous Himalayan pockets of Kashmir flooded Leh on Thursday night when people were slumbering. Around 103 people are feared dead and 400 deceased in flash floods that hit Leh yesterday night.25 army Jawans are missing as their posts and residential houses were washed away.

State Police Chief Kuldeep Koda said that they had recovered 103 bodies till then and 370 were found injured. However, the casualties’ number is expected to increase as the search and rescue team were still looking for survivors.

The injured people were immediately transported to the Army Medical base camp for their primary treatment and police has set up two camps in the affected area to provide food and shelter to around 2000 people.

To make the search and rescue operation more effective , government has deployed more security personal to help the people and natural disaster Relief  force along with doctors and more paramilitary forces  are on their way to Leh.

State Chief Minister Omar Abdullah immediately after the devastation flew to the affected area and gave a look to the destruction that the calamity had brought. He also spoke to the affected families. The state government has announced a relief package for the affected people and has promised to give Rs. 2 lakhs to the families of each those killed in the disaster.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also expressed his anguish for the loss of life and property in the area and announced a relief cash of Rs. 1 lakh for each deceased person’s family.

The local airport which was almost flooded has been cleaned so as to allow the aircraft that could bring them relief necessities.

Khoda said that around 50 CRPF personnel have been rescued but still 25 Jawans are feared missing.

Leh has been almost cut-off from rest of the country as the roads connecting it has been shattered and the telecommunication towers have been uprooted.

Update: In a report just published by TOI, death toll reaches 130 in the Leh Cloudburst. More updated coming soon.

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