Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 23 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary said the government is conducting a detailed assessment of the damage caused by the recent rain-related disaster in Poonch district and will prepare a concrete relief package for submission to the Government of India.

At least seven people died after a cloudburst triggered flash floods in Jammu and Kashmir's Surankote area of Poonch district on Sunday.

Expressing grief over the loss of lives, the deputy CM said the government had made adequate preparations and that the alertness of officials helped reduce casualties and ensure timely rescue operations.

'We are deeply saddened and regret the loss of so many lives in Poonch district. We never expected such losses during this rainy season. The government had made complete preparations, so casualties were significantly reduced,' the minister told ANI.

The deputy minister praised the Deputy Commissioners of Poonch and Rajouri, along with other officials, for remaining alert and ensuring timely rescue operations and the relocation of affected people to relief camps.

'I commend both my Deputy Commissioners for their work and for ensuring that all the facilities provided by the government reached the people,' the minister said.

He said the final assessment of the damage was yet to be completed and added that the government would prepare a detailed package after the assessment and submit it to the Centre.

'Last time also, when there was a loss, the Government of India had helped the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. We hope that this time also the Government of India will provide full help and compensation to the people of Jammu and Kashmir,' he said.

On the situation in Poonch, the minister said several areas were still facing electricity and water shortages, while roads had also been damaged at multiple locations.

He said steps were being taken to restore electricity at the earliest and directed the Deputy Commissioner to increase tanker services and expedite the installation of generators to restore water supply.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited Beerwah in Budgam district to take first-hand stock of the damage caused by Tuesday's flash floods. He inspected the affected areas and interacted with locals.

According to the Chief Minister's Office, Abdullah chaired another review meeting in Srinagar to oversee the response and measures undertaken by the Government in the aftermath of the heavy rains.

He reviewed the restoration of essential services, road connectivity, relief operations and district-wise preparedness. The meeting was informed that electricity supply in the affected areas is expected to be substantially restored by this evening.

The Chief Minister directed all departments to remain on high alert and expedite restoration works. He stressed on ensuring the uninterrupted supply of essential commodities and pre-positioning of food grains and other essential items in vulnerable areas. The Chief Minister also emphasised continuous monitoring of vulnerable habitations and a swift on-ground response until normalcy is fully restored.

Authorities have been asked to maintain close coordination with district administrations to address the situation arising out of heavy rains across J&K.

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The extreme weather conditions caused extensive damage to infrastructure across the region, with a major motorable bridge at Kallar-Androla over the Munawer River severely damaged after flash floods washed away one of its approach sides.

The bridge, constructed by the Public Works Department (PWD), was in the final stage of completion and had not yet been opened to the public.

The Kallar-Androla Bridge was a long-awaited project, with local residents demanding its construction for more than 10 years. Before the construction of the bridge, residents used a suspension (jhula) bridge to cross the river. However, its approach was washed away during the devastating floods of 2014.

Following years of demands from residents, the new bridge was finally constructed but suffered major damage in the recent flash floods.

The flash floods also destroyed a nearby Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) water supply structure, disrupting the supply of drinking water to the area.

As a result, residents are now facing two major challenges: the loss of road connectivity and disruption of clean drinking water supply.

Local residents have urged the authorities to restore the damaged bridge and water supply infrastructure on a priority basis, saying the damage has left the area cut off and caused significant hardship to the people. (ANI)