Friday, December 19, 2025
ADVT 
India

Srinagar flooded, internet connectivity snaps

Darpan News Desk IANS, 08 Sep, 2014 08:46 AM
    Flood waters Monday inundated most of Srinagar's residential and commercial areas as people scrambled to save whatever they could from the muddy, swirling waters.
     
    Mobile coverage was patchy across the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir while there was no internet connectivity.
     
    An estimated 70 percent of Srinagar was inundated for a second day Monday.
     
    Water entered shops in the main business hub of Lal Chowk and Residency. Desperate shopkeepers tried to retrieve their goods from the flooded shops.
     
    The death toll in the worst floods in Jammu and Kashmir in over 50 years is said to have crossed 150. However, information is patchy from remote areas now made inaccessible by the flood waters.
     
    The radio and television stations were shut Sunday after flood waters entered the installations.
     
    The authorities appeared ill equipped to battle the terrible calamity but did all they could in the circumstances.
     
    Mobiles went on the blink as private telecom service providers said their towers were badly damaged.
     
    Waters entered the Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) headquarters on Maulana Azad Road, forcing its closure.
     
    There was no internet connectivity in the Kashmir Valley.
     
    The only communication tool still up and running is the police wireless system.
     
    Except for inter-district connectivity between Srinagar and north Kashmir's Ganderbal district, all other districts of the valley including Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam, Shopian, Badgam, Baramulla and Bandipora were cut off.
     
    The air force Monday airlifted 70 boats as seven teams of the National Disaster Response Force struggled to save the flood victims. 
     
    Soldiers did a herculean task, rescuing the marooned. The navy deployed marine commandos.
     
    The Srinagar-Jammu highway as well as the Srinagar-Leh highway remained closed for the fourth day Monday.
     
    The floods have hit petrol availability in Srinagar. All petrol pumps were practically running dry, prompting pump operators to ration the fuel to just one litre for each vehicle.
     
    All educational institutes have been shut. All Haj flights to Saudi Arabia have been cancelled till Sep 12.
     
    Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who reviewed the flood situation Sunday, has called it a national disaster.
     
    The silver lining is that there was sunshine in both the valley and Jammu region, with the weather office saying there would be fair weather for the next four days.
     
    The water level in all mountain streams and seasonal drains has gone down.
    But the Jhelum river, which caused maximum devastation, is still flowing above the danger mark.

    MORE India ARTICLES

    Britain faces mass strike by public sector workers

    Britain faces mass strike by public sector workers
    Britain is witnessing one of the biggest strikes by public sector employees in three years with up to one million people expected to take to the streets to protest pay freeze and pension changes as part of austerity measures, media reports said Thursday.

    Britain faces mass strike by public sector workers

    Ganga conservation in Jaitley's list of priorities

    Ganga conservation in Jaitley's list of priorities
    Cleaning Ganga, linking of rivers and beautification of river banks were on top of the agenda of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley who set aside Rs.2,037 crore for an integrated Ganga development project in the union budget 2014-2015.

    Ganga conservation in Jaitley's list of priorities

    Modi regime's first budget gives tax sops, promises growth

    Modi regime's first budget gives tax sops, promises growth
    Tax payers could save on their salaries and consumer goods like TVs, soap, footwear, processed food and computers will cost less as the Rs.18-lakh crore ($300-billion) maiden budget of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government promised to arrest price rise, boost investor mood, cut expenditure and restore India's growth to 7-8 percent in three years.

    Modi regime's first budget gives tax sops, promises growth

    NRI questions FIR over uploading minister's morphed photo

    NRI questions FIR over uploading minister's morphed photo
    US-based Goan NRI Savio Almeida Wednesday questioned the move to book him for sharing on Facebook a morphed photo of Goa PWD Minister Sudin Dhavalikar wearing a pink swimsuit.

    NRI questions FIR over uploading minister's morphed photo

    India earned 40 mn euro launching foreign satellites

    India earned 40 mn euro launching foreign satellites
    He said the revenue earned through launch of foreign satellites was 39.82 million euros.

    India earned 40 mn euro launching foreign satellites

    Modi loyalist Amit Shah is BJP's new chief

    Modi loyalist Amit Shah is BJP's new chief
    After weeks of speculation, Amit Shah, a Narendra Modi loyalist who scripted the BJP's spectacular electoral win in Uttar Pradesh, was Wednesday named its new president, with party leaders voicing confidence that he will take the ruling party to greater success.

    Modi loyalist Amit Shah is BJP's new chief