Leh survivors search for homes, livelihood
Leh: Over 150 people are dead, 400 people were injured and more than 500 still missing. Some 10,000 people have been affected by Leh flash floods.
Villagers who were lucky to survive are returning to find that their homes and sources of livelihood that have been washed away. The border roads organisation men are trying hard to connect Ladakh with the rest of the world.
Ladakh's pride - river Sindh - is fast turning into a river of sorrow for local residents like Mohammad Hussian and several others like him. The flash floods have washed away their houses and shops. A broken Hussain tries in vain to salvage what he can from his tea stall. ''Flash floods destroyed my shop and many houses in this area...'' said Hussain.
Local villagers now fear to step into their houses and remain awake through the night just in case floods recur. The recent flash floods have left a trail of death and destruction in Leh.
''We don't sleep and whenever it rains we get worried,'' said a local resident.
However, over 6,000 army soldiers and troopers of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) are involved in the massive relief and rescue operation and are assisting the local administration.
''It will take 48 hours to 72 hours to do the road work. We are facing several challenges and bad weather is hampering our work,” said Col Ashok Panday.
The scale of the natural disaster has forced the Jammu and Kashmir government to lift the ban on SMS services in Leh. The Jammu and Kashmir government has re-started SMS services in Leh to locals, tourists, army and medical personnel, who are helping villagers with relief and rescue operations in the region devastated by cloudburst and flash floods that have left 150 people dead.
SMS services were banned in the state due to security reasons. State government sources say reversing the SMS ban in Leh is a goodwill gesture.
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