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New Delhi: Punjab is experiencing one of the devastating floods of all time, as the weather department predicted more rainfall on Sunday and Monday in isolated places of the state. The situation has further worsened due to the convergence of floodwaters from heavy rainfall in the adjoining states of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The floodwaters have washed away parts of at least nine districts of Punjab.
The adverse weather conditions have disrupted the daily lives of the locals. Reports say, the heavy downpour has so far affected 1,018 villages across Punjab, maximum of 323 in Gurdaspur. Over 60,000 hectares of land have been affected, leading to huge financial losses due to crop damage and livestock loss.
Authorities are kept on high alert as the River Satluj continues to overflow at Kawanwali bridge in Fazilka, which remains submerged.
A total of 11,330 people have been rescued so far from nine flood-hit districts, including Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Kapurthala and Amritsar. These include 2,819 from Ferozepur, 1,052 from Hoshiarpur, 240 from Kapurthala, 4,771 from Gurdaspur, 24 from Moga, 1,100 from Pathankot, 60 from Tarn Taran, 25 from Barnala, and 1,239 from Fazilka, the rescuers said.
Following the flashfloods, 4,711 flood-affected people were evacuated and shifted to safer places during the past 24 hours, a their houses submerged in river waters. These include 812 residents of Ferozepur, 2,571 from Gurdaspur, 4 from Moga, 60 from Tarn Taran, 25 from Barnala, and 1,239 from Fazilka.
As of now, 77 relief camps are fully operational out of 87 set up in flood-affected areas, providing shelter to 4,729 people, the Indian Express reported.
State Chief Secretary K A P Sinha on Saturday visited the Pong dam on the Beas and flood-affected areas in Mukerian subdivision in Hoshiarpur to review the relief and rescue measures. Accompanied by senior officials, the chief secretary inspected the dam, where he directed officials to regulate water discharge strictly on technical parameters, keeping in view the inflow, to minimise hardships for people in the downstream areas. He also asked them to remain vigilant and maintain round-the-clock monitoring. Officials said floods have so far affected 1,018 villages in the state, the report added.
