People make their way through the floodwaters in Srinagar (Photo: AFP)
As waters receded in Jammu and Kashmir, tempers flared among many of those affected by the state's worst floods in 100 years. They have accused the state government of not doing enough to rescue the hundreds of people stranded in floodwaters six days after the floods.
Here are the latest updates
The seething anger against the alleged delay in the rescue operations was palpable on Wednesday when Army vehicles, loaded with supplies including water and food, were pelted with stones as they tried to make their way through Srinagar. Thousands of people are still stranded across the flood-ravaged state. (Why J&K is Battling Its Worst Flood)
A group of spare boats kept on stand-by for soldiers were also grabbed by a mob. In the morning, four Air Force helicopters with relief material could not land at the helipad at the Governor's residence after threats of stoning from people who thought VIPs were the intended beneficiaries. ('Army to The Rescue, Not State Government')
Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a high-level emergency meeting to review relief operations in Kashmir, where he reportedly told senior officials that top priority should be given to the provision of essential commodities to affected people in the state
Nearly 80,000 people have been rescued in a non-stop, tireless operation by the armed forces and the National Disaster Response Force or the NDRF. In an exclusive interview, Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag reiterated that the "Army will be on the job till last man is rescued." (Some Army Vehicles Pelted With Stones in Srinagar)
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has claimed that before the heavy rains began late last week, warnings were announced at mosques and from police vehicles, urging residents to move to higher ground. "I am sorry to say that they willingly ignored these warnings...choosing to stay where they are," Mr Abdullah said.
The Election Commission has postponed a two-day trip to the state to discuss assembly polls, expected to be held late in December. The floods may delay the election process, said an EC official. (Crossing An Overflowing River, Holding a Rope and a Soldier's Hand)
Almost 200 people have died and many have been trapped in their homes or places that they took shelter in for over three days. A breakdown of communication lines caused more panic as people have been unable to contact those stranded. Some phone lines have now been restored in Srinagar.
- The Home Ministry has set up a control room in Srinagar to monitor flood relief operations. The Google Person Finder App can also be used by people scouring for information about their missing family members. The app link takes the user to a page where they can both post messages about someone they are looking for as well as post information about a survivor.
The situation in the Jammu region has stabilised and the focus is now on providing relief material on the ground, officials said. Nearly 68 relief camps have been set up in the Jammu sector. The skies have cleared and water levels have come down although road connectivity in several parts is in need of restoration.
Heavy and unchecked development in the Valley has magnified the tragedy in the state, claimed the Centre for Science and Environment, an environmental think-tank.
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