Over 50 killed, 10000 hit by Leh flash floods
Leh: At least 59 people were killed and many others went missing after heavy downpour triggered flash floods devastating Leh in the Ladakh region. 59 bodies have been recovered from the flooded areas, J and K Director General of Police Kuldeep Khoda said. Among the dead were three jawans of the Army Service Corps. He said a massive rescue operation was underway involving the state police, paramilitary forces and the army in Leh town. 50 CRPF jawans were rescued from the flooded areas, Khoda said.
According to sources, the cloudburst happened between 12.30 and 1.00 am on Friday.
The BSNL network was completely damaged, besides the runway of the Leh airport, cutting off the town from the rest of the country.
The district hospital and two buildings housing offices of the Union Home Ministry were also affected.
Five villages have been hit in the sudden downpour and flashfloods. These included Choglumsar and Shapoo. Old Leh city was among the worst affected. The main bus stand was flattened.
Leh is located at a height of 11,500 feet above sea level, 424 kilometres from Srinagar. The worst hit was Choglumsar area, 13 kms from here, where 14 bodies were recovered, officials said. Khoda said the toll may go up. "The actual damage will be known only after the water receded," another senior official said.
A
polytechnic college, headquarters of the Bharat
Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), the Indo-Tibetan Border
Police (ITBP) camp, many government offices and
houses have been damaged. The Leh airport has been
inundated. As many as 4,000 army men, and Central
Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and police personnel
have launched a massive relief and rescue operation.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while expressing grief over the tragedy, has directed the civil and police administration to undertake relief and rescue work on a war footing. All flights from Delhi to Leh have been cancelled.