Jammu and Kashmir: People moved to safer areas as Basantar river crosses safety mark

More than 100 people residing in villages of Ramgarh sector in Samba district of Jammu and Kashmir have been moved to safer places after the Basantar river breached the safety mark, a senior official said on Monday.

"As a precautionary measure, more than 100 villagers were asked to move out of their houses from various villages in the Ramgarh sector of the district," Samba Deputy Commissioner Sheetal Nanda said.

The measures were taken by the Civil Administration after the water in the Basantar River breached various embankments and entered the houses in villages of the district. "These people are kept in a local school in Samba and we are waiting for the weather conditions to improve, as soon as the weather improves and water recedes we will send these people back to their houses," she said.

She further added that steps will be taken to prevent soil erosion in order to restore the parts of land that got washed away due to the heavy water currents of the river.