Srinagar, Sept. 5 -- Thousands of people were evacuated or moved to safer places after large swathes of land and residential areas were flooded when Jhelum river and its tributaries overflowed and breached its embankments across south and central Kashmir on Thursday. After Jhelum crossed the danger mark in south Kashmir's Sangam and Srinagar's Ram Munshi Bagh, the water level in the river -- meandering from south to north Kashmir through Srinagar -- was still above the danger mark, though slowly receding owing to improvement in weather conditions. Large low lying areas of south Kashmir particularly in Anantnag and Pulwama districts were filled with flood water during the night while Jhelum breached in central Kashmir's Budgam district prompting the authorities to evacuate people to safer locations. Chief minister Omar, after his return from Delhi, immediately took a review of the flood situation along with officials and visited some of the inundated areas in Srinagar. "Owing to rains, the Jhelum level increased and caused a breach flooding (some of) these areas. Thank god, people were evacuated from their homes on time as administration was on ground. There was no loss of life but there has been loss of property," Omar said. Around 9,000 people were evacuated from Budgam district when three villages were flooded due to breach in Zoonipora and Shalina. In the wee hours flood waters had entered Shalina, Rakh Shalina, and Baghi Shakirshah villages due to this breach in the River Jhelum bund near village Zoonipora. However, residents of these villages were safely evacuated during the night to designated rescue centres and safer locations. "Early this morning, breaches occurred in the Jhelum embankments at Zonipora in Budgam, resulting in flooding of nearby areas. However, as a precautionary measure, we had already evacuated around 9,000 people last night, which helped in preventing any loss of life," said Kashmir divisional commissioner Anshul Garg. People in seven hamlets of Srinagar, adjoining the Budgam, were also asked to leave their houses after the Budgam breach flooded the areas. "As a pre-emptive and precautionary measure, residents of Lasjan, Soiteng, Nowgam, Vyethpora, Golpora, Padshahibagh, Mehjoornagar are advised to evacuate these areas and move to safer places," the district administration said in an announcement. Chief minister Omar Abdullah sought a relief package from the centre for both J&K divisions affected by the floods. "For assessment of losses, a team is being sent from the centre for assessment of losses in Jammu. I am going to write a letter to Union minister Amit Shah to request him to send that team to Kashmir as well. Kulgam, Anantnag, Budgam, Srinagar, Baramulla and Bandipora- wherever there has been losses of property due to floods or losses to agriculture, there should be assessment and relief package from Centre," he said....