Srinagar: A residential houseboat submerged in the waters of the River Jhelum and sustained damage in the Rajbagh area of Srinagar on Tuesday morning, according to officials.
The owner of the houseboat, Abdul Rehman Pakhtoon, reported that they observed the sinking of the houseboat in the morning hours.
"As we noticed it, we immediately reached out to the administration for assistance," stated Abdul Rehman Pakhtoon.
He underlined the need for support and shelter from the administration, particularly given the adverse weather conditions prevailing in the region.
In response to the distress call, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) along with the Fire and Emergency Service promptly initiated a rescue operation to salvage the sinking houseboat.
It is pertinent to mention that the iconic Kashmiri houseboats have been facing an uncertain future, with their numbers dwindling to a mere 750, a stark decrease from 2000, primarily due to a blanket ban on houseboat construction and a scarcity of skilled craftsmen in the region.
(KNO Inputs)
