13 bodies found in flooded city in Srinagar, toll crosses 200

SRINAGAR: Rescue workers today spotted 13 bodies lying in a house in Jawahar Nagar area of the city, taking the death toll in flood-ravaged Jammu and Kashmir to over 200.

"We spotted 13 bodies in a house which had collapsed due to flooding late yesterday," Abdul Hamid, a rescue worker, told PTI after bringing two bodies to the Gogjibagh bank of the flood channel.

While two bodies were taken out from the debris of the house last night, it will take some time to bring to shore the other nine bodies as they were trapped in the debris.

"The concern is that dogs are eating the bodies," he said.

The identity of the deceased persons could not be ascertained as the bodies were in a semi-decomposed state but the rescue worker said they were most likely of non-locals.

"From the appearance, we gather they were one or two non-local families who could not escape the flood water in time or could have been killed in the collapse of the house," he said.

Three children and two elderly were among the dead. Although authorities started dewatering operations in Jawahar nagar and Rajbagh areas of the city by pressing in 30 dewatering pumps, the water level has reduced by few inches only over the past 24 hours.

"It will be a long time before the roads in this area will be visible again," Aamir Nazir, a local resident, said.