SRINAGAR: A day after an artificial lake on the Phuktal River in Kargil’s Zanskar region burst and washed away a dozen bridges and many buildings, a National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) team carried out an aerial inspection and said there seemed no cause of worry since most of the water had flown out.
The NDMA experts told a state government team that the water level was gradually reducing. The NDMA team said they were monitoring the situation round the clock. But residents of Zanskar and Leh protested against the NDMA for not devising measures to prevent the lake burst.
The artificial lake was formed about five months ago after a landslide blocked the Phuktal River. After it burst on Thursday, three motorable bridges, 10 suspension bridges, many houses and school buildings, irrigational canals and pony treks were damaged in the flash floods. About 3,000 residents had had to be moved to safer places.