Heavy rain again lashes parts of flood-hit Punjab and Haryana

Chandigarh: A fresh spell of heavy rain lashed several parts of flood-hit Punjab and neighbouring Haryana, where swollen rivers have inundated large tracts of land and disrupted normal life.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, is also witnessing incessant rainfall.

According to the weather department, several places in the two states received rain during the 24-hour period till 8:30 am on Wednesday.

Among other places in Punjab, Amritsar received 27.6 mm rain, Ludhiana 29.8 mm, Patiala 9.2 mm, Pathankot 41.2 mm, Gurdaspur 94.7 mm while Mohali had 55.5 mm rain.

In Haryana, Ambala received 105.6 mm rain, Hisar 11.5 mm, Karnal 27.8 mm, Narnaul 21 mm, Rohtak 10 mm, Sirsa 12 mm, Faridabad 5 mm, while Panchkula had 57.5 mm rain during the past 24 hours.

Chandigarh received 63.6 mm rain during this period.

In Chandigarh, two of the three floodgates of the lake were opened at different intervals to release the excess water through Sukhna Choe following incessant rain in the catchment area. The floodgates are generally opened when the water level crosses the danger mark of 1,163 feet.

In view of the inclement weather in the region, the Chandigarh administration has ordered the closure of all schools of the Union Territory on Wednesday as well. Earlier, schools here had remained closed on Tuesday.

In Haryana too, as a precautionary measure, schools have been ordered to remain closed on Wednesday in Ambala and Panchkula districts. Schools in some other affected areas of the state are also closed.

It has been raining heavily since Tuesday in Panchkula and Ambala.

Meanwhile, in the Ambala district, heavy rains since Tuesday have led to water-logging in many areas. The water level was also rising in Ghaggar, Markanda and Tangri rivers.

In Sonipat, rains caused water-logging at a few places. Normal movement of vehicular traffic on many roads, including the National Highway was also affected due to rains.

The Punjab government on Wednesday extended the closure of all schools, colleges and universities till September 7 due to the prevailing flood situation. Earlier, the government had declared holidays in all schools and colleges till September 3.

Punjab is under the grip of massive floods, caused by the swollen Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets due to heavy rain in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

In Punjab, the deluge has claimed 30 lives and affected more than 3.5 lakh people, as per a bulletin issued by the state authorities on the situation from August 1 to September 2.

Relief and rescue operations by the NDRF, Army, BSF, Punjab Police and district authorities are underway in the affected areas.

Incessant rains over the past few days have led to an increase in the water levels of some rivers, including the Yamuna, prompting Haryana authorities to open the floodgates of the Hathnikund barrage in Yamunanagar district.

The Hathnikund barrage discharged 3,29,313 cusec of water at 9 am on Monday. The flow of water in the Yamuna at the Hathnikund barrage on Monday was the highest recorded so far this monsoon. On Tuesday morning, it received a discharge of 1.76 lakh cusecs from the barrage while on Wednesday morning, it was 1.62 lakh cusecs.

A strict vigil is being kept by officials on villages falling in the catchment areas of the Yamuna in the district and some other districts, including Panipat, Palwal, Sonipat and Faridabad.

Haryana Minister Ranbir Gangwa has directed officials to assess the damage caused by the recent heavy rains and waterlogging in different parts of the state.