Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday visited flood-affected areas of Anantnag district to personally assess the scale of damage and assure relief to impacted families.

The Chief Minister toured several localities of Anantnag town and surrounding areas hit by the floods. At the local Dak Bungalow, he held a review meeting with district administration officials to take stock of the damage and ongoing restoration work.

CM Abdullah also met families whose homes, streets, and properties had been destroyed or severely damaged by the floods. He assured them that the government would extend full assistance and take all necessary steps to provide relief, rehabilitation, and restoration.

Accompanying the Chief Minister were Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Kumar Choudhary, Cabinet ministers Sakina Itoo and Javed Rana, Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, and legislators Altaf Kaloo, Majeed Larmi, Dr. Bashir Veeri, Reyaz Khan, and Zafar Khattana. The Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag and senior officers were also present during the visit.

Jammu and Kashmir has been reeling from one of its worst floods since August 14, when a cloudburst in Chashoti village of Kishtwar killed 67 people, mostly pilgrims of the Machail Mata Yatra, and injured over 100 others. On August 26, a landslide near Shri Mata Vaishno Devi shrine claimed 35 lives after a shelter was buried under debris.

Floodwaters from swollen rivers including Tawi, Chenab, Basantar, and Ujh submerged several villages in Jammu, Samba, and Kathua districts. In the Valley, the Jhelum river breached embankments in Budgam, leaving many areas marooned. Anantnag and Pulwama also suffered severe losses as floodwaters washed away fruit-bearing trees and submerged apple orchards, while paddy crops across several acres were flattened by heavy rains and winds.