Three major hospitals in Srinagar, including the Government Children’s Hospital in the heart of the Jammu and Kashmir capital, have been hit by the state’s worst flooding in 60 years.
Reports said two floors of the children’s hospital are flooded and patients have been moved to the top floor of the three-storey hospial. Around 300 people – patients, doctors, nurses and attendants – are reportedly crammed on the third floor.
The Jhelum river, swollen by heavy rain, has flooded large parts of Srinagar and messages for help are pouring in on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook as people stranded on the rooftops of their homes and other buildings await rescue. “Locals please help 200 female resident doctors of Lal Ded Hospital, (hostel) Srinagar,” said one such call for help on Twitter.
The SMHS hospital in the heart of Srinagar city is also reportedly flooded. Details are awaited from there. Phone lines are down in many parts of the city.
Hundreds of troops, police and other emergency personnel, backed by helicopters and boats, have been deployed across the state to reach those stranded, with 11,000 people rescued so far, officials said. Soldiers were battling on Sunday to rescue many more people trapped in what Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said is a national calamity.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has appealed to people not to panic. “I know the situation is bad but they should stay above the water level,” he said, adding that 110 people have died in the state so far.
