Kashmir floods: Search on for missing soldiers

Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir: Army on Sunday resumed searches for two soldiers, who went missing after their boat capsized during a rescue and relief operation in flood-affected Pulwama district of Kashmir.

"The search operation was resumed this morning for the two missing jawans but so far we have not been able to trace them," an Army spokesman said.

Nine Army personnel, including an officer, were trapped in strong water current at Kakapora in Pulwama district yesterday when their boat capsized during a rescue operation.

While seven personnel were rescued late in the afternoon yesterday, two personnel went missing.

The spokesman said initially the searches this morning were focused around the area where the boat capsized.

"Now we have widened the area of search. The personnel have life jackets on and we hope that these would have kept them alive," he added.

A senior official said that additional teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and 100 boats have been rushed to Kashmir for launching rescue operations in the Valley.

"We are facing shortage of boats for rescuing people from inundated areas. A lot of 100 boats is being airlifted from Delhi which shall be landing here any moment," Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir, Rohit Kansal told PTI.

Kansal said many people were trapped in several localities, which have been inundated due to breach in banks of River Jhelum at some places.

"Due to shortage of boats we have not been able to reach these areas yet," he said.

He said additional teams of NDRF are flying into the Valley to carry out rescue operations.