JAMMU, Aug 27, KDC: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday expressed grief over the loss of lives in the Katra landslide and widespread flooding across several districts of the Jammu. He questioned the preventive measures taken, saying more could have been done to protect people after prior weather warnings.
“If we already knew about the weather, couldn’t we do something to ensure that those innocent lives were saved? Why were they on the track? Why weren’t they taken to a safe place?” Omar said, in Jammu according to news agency Kashmir Dot Com, adding that around 29–30 people have died in the tragedy.
The Chief Minister said low-lying areas in Samba, Kathua, Jammu, Udhampur and Doda have suffered major damage. He stressed that residents living illegally near riverbanks would need to be relocated to safer places to prevent future disasters.
On the overall flood and cloudburst situation in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said he had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who assured all possible assistance from the Centre. “There is some relief today as the rain has almost stopped. Water has started receding from the low-lying areas. The loss due to the disaster is before you,” he said.
Recalling the 2014 floods, the Chief Minister noted that the same section of a bridge was damaged again this year, underlining the need for stronger preventive measures. “We will have to ensure that such an incident does not take place again. Relief and rescue work has already started,” he said. (KDC)
