Punjab floods: Rupnagar administration sounds alert for residents near Sutlej river

Chandigarh, Sep 3 (PTI) Punjab's Rupnagar district administration on Wednesday asked locals living near the Sutlej river to remain on alert as heavy water has been discharged from the Bhakra Dam following heavy rain in its catchment area in Himachal Pradesh.

At 6 am, the water level in the Bhakra dam was 1,677.84 feet against its maximum capacity of 1,680 feet. The water inflow in the dam was 86,822 cusecs while the outflow was 65,042 cusecs.

Officials said in view of the heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, the water discharge is being increased from 65,000 cusecs to 75,000 cusecs from the dam and villages in the Nangal area may be impacted.

The villages are Harsa Bela, Bela Ramgarh, Bela Dhiani Upper, Bela Dhiani Lower, Sensowal, Elgra, Bela Shiv Singh, Bhalan, Bhanam, Singhpura, Palasi, Taraf Majara and Majari, they said.

Apart from this, villagers in Sri Anandpur Sahib area have been asked to remain vigilant and move to safer places, if necessary.

The villagers are Burj, Chandpur Bela, Gajpur Bela, Shahpur Bela, Nikkuwal, Amarpur Bela, Lodhipur, the officials said.

The officials said the administration has set up safety camps in every affected area and all necessary arrangements have been made.

Punjab Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains, who is MLA from Anandpur Sahib, said heavy rainfall lashed Rupnagar district, leading to heavy inflow of water in the Bhakra dam.

In a video message, he appealed to people living near the Sutlej river to move to safer places.

The Patiala district administration has also issued an alert for the residents of villages near the Ghaggar river in the Rajpura sub-division in the wake of heavy rains in the catchment areas of the water body.

According to an advisory, the residents of villages Sanjarpur, Untsar, Darba, Salempur, Shamshpur, Jandamgoli, Harpalan, Rampur, Saunta, Marian, Kapoori, Kamalpur, Sarala Kalan, Sarala Khurd, Kami Khurd, Chamaru, Lachhru Khurd, Mehdudan, Manjoli, Maru, Jambomajra, Jamitgarh, Mahamadpur and nearby areas should remain alert.

The district administration of SAS Nagar (Mohali) asked residents to remain cautious along the banks of Ghaggar river.

Punjab is facing massive floods, caused by the swollen Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets following heavy rain in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Rains in Punjab have also worsened the flood situation in the state.

Entire Punjab has been impacted by nature's fury, with the deluge claiming 30 lives and impacting over 3.50 lakh people. PTI CHS APL APL DV DV