Ludhiana district, which has so far escaped the fury of floods, was put on high alert on Monday after 90,000 cusecs of water was released from Ropar. The Satluj, which had been flowing at around 35,000 cusecs, is now expected to touch the 1 lakh-cusec mark. Work is in full swing to strengthen the embankments along the river.
Heavy showers that lashed Ludhiana since early Monday morning and the rising water levels of Buddha Nullah added to the misery. The water is 2-3 feet deep in low-lying areas like Basti Jodhewal, Tajpur Road, Samrala Chowk and Janakpuri. The situation in posh areas like Rani Jhansi Road and Lodhi Club area is no better. The water level continues to rise in villages along the Satluj.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain has ordered the closure of all dyeing units and printing clusters in Ludhiana district with immediate effect as a precautionary measure to prevent effluents from overflowing into low-lying areas. He also inspected the dhussi bandh in Khaira Bet and ordered permanent deployment of a rescue and relief team to keep a watch on the situation.
Breaches in Fazilka drain, 1,000 acres inundated
Three breaches in the Abulkhurana drain have inundated 1,000 acres of farmland in Fazilka district. Two breaches were reported from Bandiwala village and one from Sabuana.
Villagers said the drain had been overflowing since last month, but the administration did nothing to rectify the situation. They said the failure of the administration to properly clean the drain for the past four years had led to the situation. The process to plug the breaches has begun and the losses are being assessed.
Jalandhar reels under torrential rain
The widespread flooding following torrential downpour, accompanied by thunderstorm, in Jalandhar in the wee hours of Monday led to the collapse of several buildings and disruption of electricity supply for more than five hours.
The downpour, which started at around 2 am, submerged many parts of the city within just an hour. Many trees were uprooted, damaging power lines. While rainwater entered houses and shops, posh colonies like Defence Colony and Model Town bore the maximum brunt.
Villagers along Ghaggar cautioned
The Patiala administration issued a flood advisory for several villages in the Rajpura subdivision after heavy rain in the catchment area of the Ghaggar led to a sharp spike in the water level at Bhankharpur.
Rajpura SDM Avikesh Gupta asked residents of villages located in Ghanaur and Sanaur, including Untsar, Nanheri, Sanjarpur, Lachhru, Kamalpur, Rampur, Saunta, Maru and Chamaru, to exercise caution. He urged villagers to stay away from the banks of the Ghaggar.
Evacuation ordered in Sultanpur Lodhi villages
In view of the worsening flood situation, the Kapurthala administration has asked residents of low-lying villages in Sultanpur Lodhi to immediately vacate their homes and move to safer places. Officials fear that another deluge could lead to the collapse of more houses.
The administration has evacuated 1,290 people from 20 worst-hit villages situated near the Beas. Thousands of villagers reluctant to leave their houses unguarded are still trapped. Over 100 villages in the district have been affected by floods. Twelve houses have collapsed in the district due to flooding since August 11, and many houses are on the brink of collapse after developing cracks.
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