DHAKA: The death toll in the Jammu and Kashmir floods has risen to 160 as the floods, the worst the state has seen in 60 years, affected a staggering 2,500 villages.

India’s union home minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday said as he assured help to deal with the grim situation, reports The Times of India.

Rajnath Singh told reporters at the Jammu airport that ‘160 people have lost their lives in these floods. Floods of this magnitude have hit Jammu & Kashmir after 60 years’.

He said 2,500 villages were affected, out of which 450 were completely submerged.

The home minister arrived in the state earlier in the day on a day’s visit to take stock of the flood situation.

Rajnath Singh said in Srinagar that he had met chief minister Omar Abdullah and senior officials who briefed him about the severity of the situation.

‘If there is so much devastation in the city, I wonder what would be the situation like in rural areas,’ Singh said, who had to cancel an aerial tour because of inclement weather.

‘I want to assure the people and the government of Jammu & Kashmir that the central government stands beside you in your hour of crisis and we extend all necessary help to you,’ he said.

BDST: 2047 HRS, SEP 06, 2014