Yamunanagar, July 20
Persistent rain in the catchment areas of seasonal rivers Somb and Pathrala has led to flooding of cultivable areas in over 100 villages of Yamunanagar district, district administration officials said. Residential buildings in low-lying areas of Bilaspur and Sadhaura segments have also been flooded.

A bridge was washed away in Somb water at Ranjitpur while more than 40 villages were cut off from the district headquarters. Heavy rainfall in upper reaches of Himachal over the past 72 hours has led to rise in the water levels in the two rivers here.

There has also been a sudden rise in the Yamuna water level. More than 1.48 lakh cusecs of water flowed through the Hathnikund barrage, leading of inundation of low-lying areas downstream.

Farmers said their houses had been inundated for a few days now. The reason: The beds of the Somb and Pathrala rivers were no longer deep enough to carry huge quantities of water during the rainy season. They alleged although the matter had been brought to the notice of the administration, no steps had been initiated.

Bhamnouli, Bankat, Ramgarh, Chintpur, Lalhari, Alisherpur Majra and Khanuwala villages are among the worst-hit.

Deputy Commissioner MS Brar said the administration was on the alert and rescue operations were initiated in the affected areas. Flood control rooms were already operational to monitor the situation, he added. The situation was also being monitored in villages situated along the Yamuna, he added. Though the water level was receding in all three rivers, any more rainfall in the catchment areas of these could aggravate the flood situation in the district, he added.