Srinagar, September 11
As massive relief and rescue operations are under way in flood-ravaged Srinagar, local rescuers and volunteers from various areas have sighted bodies floating at many places in the inundated city.

There is, however, no official word on the casualty figures after the flood water marooned Srinagar city on Sunday.

The rescuers reportedly sighted bodies in Qamarwari and Raj Bagh — the worst-affected areas in the city. The floodwater was slowly receding in the city, but the fate of thousands of people who are trapped in their houses for the fifth consecutive day was still not known.

Uncertainty prevails over the number of casualties as people brace for the worst. Many persons are missing ever since the flood waters entered the city.

A team of local volunteers, sighted two bodies floating in Qamawari locality, but these could not be retrieved. “After seeing the bodies of men floating, we thought of retrieving them, but we were not able to do so because of the deep water. So we decided to tie them to an electricity pole to ensure these did not get washed away,” said a rescue worker of a prominent socio-religious group.

Similar reports of bodies floating in flood water were received from other parts of the city. "We are also getting reports about floating bodies from various areas of city. However, there is no official confirmation," said a police official overseeing the rescue operation in one of the worst-hit areas of the city.

The volunteers say as part of the rescue efforts they are keeping white shrouds with them so that they don’t find any difficulty it they notice a floating body. "There are some houses which have collapsed and we fear for the worst," said another local rescue worker.