Flood Ravaged India, Pak Struggle To Catch Breath

Bridges snapped, houses flooded, lives lost and army working round-the-clock to rescue people who had taken shelter on rooftops, terraces, any place that saved them from the gushing floodwaters. The crown of India, the picturesque valley of Jammu and Kashmir that held best of nature’s bounty had turned into a courtyard of death in a matter of few days. Even now, the flood waters endanger a lot of lives around, but the worst seems to be over, or so do the people hope.

Monsoon in the snowy valley, which grows some of the priciest of the spices, flowers and thrives on tourism, has hardworking people too who have kept the lifelines going through their dedication. Even when the incessant rain in the last few days turned a big threat to their lives, they took out their small boats, shikaras and life-saving spirit to help stranded tourists and saved thousands, risking their own lives in the ordeal.

Indian Army and allied forces have kept their rescue efforts on and rose phenomenally to the occasion. Over 1, 10, 000 people have been taken to safer places after flood waters inundated the valley. Now that the water level has been receding in Indian administered Kashmir, the part that has been occupied by Pakistan is in for some worst times. Waters have now reached that part as well. The dyke has breached, and thousands are fleeing the area for safety. More than one million people are said to have been affected by floods in Pakistan.

Death toll, as of now, has been put at 450 from both countries. Rescue choppers have found no time to rest yet and have continued with their efforts of finding survivors trapped in various parts of the flooded areas.

Chaotic scenes have been witnessed at Srinagar, from where the flights have been taking locals and tourists to other parts of the country. Anger and resentment is raising its ugly head at the most challenging time when Natural Disaster Response Force has been relentlessly working and carrying people to relief camps set up in safe areas.

Major boost has come from the fact that cellphone connectivity has been restored in majority of the areas, enabling people to connect with their families. However, having been stranded in isolated areas with five feet deep water, with barely any food and least of all, no battery to keep their cellphones working, people still continue to seek help through ways that are beyond the reach of technology.

A sense of abandoned feeling has been gripping the valley with people pitching in to do their bit on rescuing front. Locals have begun to feel they neither belong to India nor to Pakistan while both countries stake claim on their land. Relief camps run by residents of various areas have been set up to help their co-inhabitants with food and water.

Though the government feels the response was as swift as it could get, the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir – Omar Abdullah claimed helplessness with the nature unleashing its fury.

“We had no government for the entire 36 hours since the entire establishment was wiped out,” he told media persons when asked about the state government’s unpreparedness to combat the worst times since terrorist attacks that marred the valley since long.

In a way, Kashmir is most blessed and most cursed too. The terrorist attacks and instigating activities by separatist groups have stolen the peace of the valley since long. Now, with floods disrupting the life of Kashmiris, people feel the government wasn’t really up to face the situation.

Now, with flood waters receding, people are hoping there is no sunshine since that would mean the glaciers melting. If that happens, they would be in for some worse times as waters would start flowing with great force again, wiping out life that has got a second chance to set its course right.

The floods that have shaken the very spirit of an otherwise peace-loving valley are said to be the worst in last half a century. People are only hoping the worst is behind them by now.