Markanda swells, 8 family members rescued from island after 13 hours in Sirmaur district

Pankaj Sharma

Nahan, August 11

Eight members of a Gujjar family remained stranded for 13 hours on a small island near Kolar in Sirmaur district on Saturday night after heavy rain in the region led to a sudden rise in the water level of the Markanda.

The trapped family somehow managed to inform the locals via cellphone about their precarious situation. The residents, in turn, alerted the authorities.

As water level was high at night, the rescue operation was put on hold by the authorities concerned.

Today afternoon, an earth mover was pressed into the service to rescue the eight individuals from the island.

Recounting their harrowing experience, the rescued persons said water level in the Markanda rose suddenly around midnight.

They stated that they had recently started living in the area after the government allotted them land in April.

The residents raised concerns over allocation of land to Gujjar families in the flood-prone area by

the government.

They pointed out that even light rain causes the Markanda’s water level to rise significantly, thus making it unsafe for anyone to reside at such a location.

The locals urged the authorities to relocate the Gujjar families to safer areas at the earliest.

Nahan Sub-Divisional Magistrate Salim Azam said the administration had received information about the trapped individuals, after which a team was dispatched to the site.

He said a team of the State Disaster Response Force was also summoned, but the family was rescued before their arrived. Azam added that the family’s livestock are still stranded on the island and efforts were underway to rescue them. He assured that necessary steps would be taken to enhance the safety of residents in the area.

As the India Meteorological Department issued alert for heavy rain, the district administration has urged the residents to remain vigilant.

Land alloted in April

• As water level was high at night, the rescue operation was put on hold by the district authorities
• The rescued persons said the government had allotted them land in April
• Nahan SDM said the SDRF was also summoned, but they rescued the family before they arrived