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Punjab: Water level in Ghaggar reaches danger level, Patiala on alert
Heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh leads to river overflowing in three sub divisions, including Rajpura; residents of neighbouring Mohali on alert as water level expected to rise by evening.
Twenty villages of Patiala district have been put on high alert after the water level in the Ghaggar river reached the danger level on Wednesday afternoon after heavy rain for the past two days in Himachal Pradesh, officials said.
The district administration appealed to residents of the villages on the river’s banks to move to safer places. The three sub divisions affected are Rajpura, Dudhan Sadhan and Patiala.
“We have sounded an alert in the low-lying areas along the Ghaggar river. We are keeping a close watch. The water level rose because of heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of the river,” said Rajpura sub divisional magistrate (SDM) Avikesh Gupta.
According to the district drainage department, the water was flowing at 9 feet, which is just a foot below the danger mark of 10 feet, at noon. “The Ghaggar river, which is fed by the rain in Himachal, is expected to swell further in the next five hours. People should stay alert. Water has already started overflowing in many areas in Mohali and Patiala districts,” a senior officer of Patiala district administration said.
The river is already overflowing and road-bridges have already been submerged in a few villages.
Neighbouring Haryana is also on high alert after the India Meteorological Department issued a yellow alert in Panchkula, Ambala and Yamunanagar districts. Ambala deputy commissioner Ajay Tomar said, “We have alerted the irrigation and revenue department and a close watch is being kept on the water levels in the Ghaggar river. The situation is normal as of now.”
(With input by Bhavey Nagpal)
