Srinagar, Sep 3 (IANS) The floods in Jammu and Kashmir worsened Sunday as fierce rains lashed the valley for the fourth consecutive day. The army and the air force have been alerted.

Scores of villages and several residential areas in the summer capital were submerged as the water level in Jhelum river continued to rise dangerously.

Kashmir Police pressed into service boats Saturday evening to evacuate patients from the flooded Jhelum Valley Medical College Hospital in Srinagar.

Central Kashmir range police chief Farooq Ahmed supervised the evacuation of the patients, who were later admitted to various hospitals.

Farooq told IANS: "Policemen have been deployed in strength in the capital city to help evacuate the flood-hit."

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad reviewed the flood situation at a high-level meeting Sunday. He was informed about the steps taken by the administration to tackle the situation.

The administration ordered the closure of all educational institutions in the valley for two days.

Authorities are busy evacuating locals from Lasjan and Gundbal areas after the fast flowing Jhelum waters breached the embankment Sunday morning.

"The situation is grim. The heavy downpour has made things difficult but we are ready to deal with the situation," Kashmir divisional commissioner Basharat Dhar, who is supervising the rescue and relief operations, told IANS.