Parvez Rasool tells of flood horror

Parvez Rasool, the India offspinner, has spoken of the hardship he and his family have endured during the on-going floods in his home state of Jammu & Kashmir. He said his home in the Anantnag district had been flooded and they had been without proper communication for about ten days.

The northern Indian state of Jammu & Kashmir has suffered extensive damage to life and property since the beginning of September because several rivers were in spate due to torrential rainfall. "For the last 11 days, I was literally cut off from society as none of the telephones or cell-phones were working," Rasool told PTI. "It was a helpless situation for me and my family. We were staying on the first floor as the ground floor was filled with floodwater.

"The situation was terrible but it's better in Anantnag right now. I am planning to come to Srinagar within next two days. I haven't been able to contact my Jammu & Kashmir Ranji team-mates.

"In fact, a local NGO over here did tremendous work as they reached out to people with food, essential medicine and clothes. We also received help from the NGO as we were stuck inside our house.

"After watching them work for three to four days, I also joined the relief workers and did my bit in helping them. I am only 25, but people, who are of my grandfather's age said they have not seen anything like this [flood] in their lifetime. There were times when we were taking water from the overhead tanks and boiling everything as there is a chance of infection.

"I only hope that by next week things change for the better as the people from the economically backward sections are the ones who have been suffering a lot. You feel pained watching their plight.

Rasool said he hoped to resume cricket practice as soon as possible. "It's never happened that I have missed training for two weeks. I have to get back to training."

The Indian domestic season begins with the Vijay Hazare one-day competition on November 7.