Many parts of Haryana lashed by rains, more showers predicted; state on alert

Chandigarh: Rains lashed several parts of Haryana on Monday, with authorities sounding an alert for more showers in the coming days.

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

According to the Met office here, Ambala, Hisar, Narnaul, Rohtak, Gurugram, Nuh, Palwal, Panchkula, Sirsa received rains during the day.

The Met forecast said that a spell of widespread rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy rainfall at a few places is likely over Haryana, Punjab and Chandigarh during the next 24-36 hours.

The monsoon has been "vigorous" over the two states and Chandigarh since Sunday, it said.

An irrigation department official in Yamunanagar said the Hathnikund barrage discharged 3,29,313 cusec of water at 9 am. The flow of water in the Yamuna at the Hathnikund barrage on Monday was the highest recorded so far this monsoon.

Any flow exceeding 2.5 lakh cusecs is classified as a "high flood," the official said.

Water released from the barrage typically takes around 48 hours to reach Delhi. Officials said an alert has been sounded and a strict vigil is being kept on villages falling in the catchment areas of the Yamuna in the district and some other districts including Panipat, Sonipat and Faridabad.

In view of more heavy rainfall prediction, the Haryana government on Monday directed all field officers to remain at their headquarters and maintain strict vigilance till September 5.

Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, in a letter addressed to all divisional commissioners, range inspector generals of police, additional DGPs, deputy commissioners, superintendents of police, and sub-divisional magistrates, stated that the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has indicated the possibility of flooding due heavy rainfall in the coming days.

Therefore, during this period, no officer shall be granted leave without the approval of the chief secretary or the additional chief Secretary, home department, the letter stated.

Due to heavy rains in Ambala and surrounding areas since Sunday night, there were reports of water logging in some villages.

The district administration and the irrigation department were keeping a close eye on the situation. The water level in Ghaggar and Markanda rivers near Ambala was increasing The swollen Markanda river overflowed into Hema Majra village of Mullana area in Ambala. The farmers of the village said floodwaters can harm their paddy and sugarcane crops.

Taking note of the spate in rivers in the region due to heavy rains in their catchment areas, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said on Sunday that his government is alert and prepared to deal with any flood situation.

Earlier on Friday, Saini instructed all deputy commissioners in the state to monitor areas along rivers in their respective jurisdictions. They were told to prepare a concrete action plan in advance for villages, settlements and colonies located near riverbanks.

Several districts in neighbouring Punjab are also gripped by floods as Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets are in spate, following heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.