Rajnath Singh assures aid to 2 flood-hit states

New Delhi: Home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to both Jammu and Kashmir governor N.N. Vohra and Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal to review the flood situation in both states assuring them of all possible assistance from the Centre. During his telephonic conversation with both the Governor and Assam CM, Mr Singh enquired about the flood situation in the two States as large parts are said to be inundated by the sudden floods.

In Assam as many as 30 people are believed to have died in the sudden floods with more than 68,000 people being affected by the heavy rains in districts like Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Charaideo, Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi.

Work on the final draft of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), a list of state’s citizens, has now been deferred in wake of heavy rains in Assam. Four security personnel of ITBP were killed in Arunachal Pradesh after the vehicle in which they were travelling was crushed by a massive boulder on the Basar-Akajan road in the State’s Lower Siang district.

Nine people have died in Arunachal Pradesh due to landslides in two separate incidents during the ongoing heavy rains. In his telephonic conversation with the J&K governor, home minister while reviewing the flood situation, particularly for the Amarnath Yatra, assured that Centre would rush additional reinforcements  if the state required them even at a short notice.

A flood alert was sounded in central part of J&K in wake of heavy rains in the States leading to fears of heavy flash floods. Three people have died so far in J&K so far.

Traffic, specially going towards Srinagar, on the busy Jammu-Srinagar Highway was suspended due to rains thus leaving a large number of commuters stranded.

Amarnath Yatra had to be suspended since both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes had become inaccessible due to heavy rains. State authorities have sounded an alert for residents living close to the banks of Jhelum.