Rain fury: Ghaggar, Sutlej rivers in spate in Punjab; flood threat looms over Dera Bassi, Patiala, Sangrur, Ropar

Ruchika M Khanna

Chandigarh, July 9

As incessant rain lashed most parts of Punjab, the Ghaggar river is now learnt to be overflowing, with water flowing at 2.5 feet above the danger mark.

This has sent the alarm bells ringing and a team of National Disaster Response Force has been called out in Tiwana village of Mohali. “They are at standby, as water is flowing at 12.5 feet, against 10-foot danger mark,” Chief Engineer Irrigation H S Mehndiratta said. He said that they were keeping a close watch as the water in the Ghaggar would flow downstream towards Patiala and Sangrur.

In Patiala, preventive evacuation orders have been issued in areas adjoining Badi Nadi. The Ghaggar passes through Samana, Devigarh, Sanaur and Ghanaur towns of Patiala district.

In Dera Bassi, too, Ghaggar water has reportedly entered fields and large swathes of land were inundated.

In Kharar, there are reports of some houses being damaged because of the heavy downpour. In Mandot area of Ferozepur, the fencing on the International Border was also damaged.

With the IMD already issuing a warning of a heavy downpour in Patiala, Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Ludhiana, Mansa and  Muktsar for today, the government is on high alert.

Officials in Irrigation department say that though there are no reports of any untoward incidents till now, many low lying areas in these cities are already inundated. Only one or two minor beaches in some water channels have been reported in Ferozepur.

The authorities are also keeping a close watch on the flow of water in Sutlej. It is learnt that downstream water flow in the river is 1,00,000 cusecs as against a normal water flow of 12,000 cusecs. As a result, low-lying areas in villages along the river and its tributaries in Ropar and Anandpur Sahib like Kahanpur Khoohi have been inundated.

As incessant rain lashed most parts of Punjab, the Ghaggar river is now learnt to be overflowing, with water flowing at 2.5 feet above the danger mark.

This has sent the alarm bells ringing and a team of National Disaster Response Force has been called out in Tiwana village of Mohali. “They are at standby, as water is flowing at 12.5 feet, against 10-foot danger mark,” Chief Engineer Irrigation H S Mehndiratta said. He said that they were keeping a close watch as the water in the Ghaggar would flow downstream towards Patiala and Sangrur.

In Patiala, preventive evacuation orders have been issued in areas adjoining Badi Nadi. The Ghaggar passes through Samana, Devigarh, Sanaur and Ghanaur towns of Patiala district.

In Dera Bassi, too, Ghaggar water has reportedly entered fields and large swathes of land were inundated.

In Kharar, there are reports of some houses being damaged because of the heavy downpour. In Mandot area of Ferozepur, the fencing on the International Border was also damaged.

With the IMD already issuing a warning of a heavy downpour in Patiala, Sangrur, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Tarn Taran, Ludhiana, Mansa and  Muktsar for today, the government is on high alert.

Officials in Irrigation department say that though there are no reports of any untoward incidents till now, many low-lying areas in these cities are already inundated. Only one or two minor beaches in some water channels have been reported in Ferozepur.

The authorities are also keeping a close watch on the flow of water in Sutlej. It is learnt that downstream water flow in the river is 1,00,000 cusecs as against a normal water flow of 12,000 cusecs. As a result, low-lying areas in villages along the river and its tributaries in Ropar and Anandpur Sahib like Kahanpur Khoohi have been inundated.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has ordered all MLAs to be stationed in their constituencies and help in relief measures. People have also been advised not to venture out until it is necessary.