Heavy rains in Punjab, Haryana disrupt normal life; authorities step up relief preparedness

Heavy monsoon rains in several parts of Punjab and Haryana on Sunday led to massive waterlogging in low-lying areas, prompting authorities to swing into action in the worst-hit places.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann directed cabinet ministers, Deputy Commissioners, Senior Superintendents of Police and other officials concerned to visit the affected areas and provide the required assistance to people.

Also Read: Monsoon rains go from 10% deficit to surplus in 8 days

"It has been raining heavily in Punjab for the last 2 days, due to which people are facing difficulties in the low-lying areas and especially in the areas along the rivers...," Mann tweeted in Punjabi.

"...I have issued instructions to all my ministers, legislators and DCs and SSPs of all districts to go among the people...," he added in his tweet.

Punjab's Water Resources Minister Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer said following instructions from Mann, arrangements have been made by the Water Resources Department to deal with any untoward situation caused by heavy rains.

A flood control room has been established at the head office level and field staff have been deployed, Hayer said. In Haryana's Ambala district, three rivers Markanda, Ghaggar and Tangri were flowing close to the danger mark.

Several people residing close to the Tangri bank near Ambala Cantonment have been asked to shift to safer places, officials said. According to officials, 1.45 lakh cusecs water was released from Ropar headworks in Punjab and the floodgates have been opened. Due to incessant rains in the catchment areas of the Sukhna Lake here, two of the floodgates were opened.

The water level of the Ghaggar river and its tributaries also rose on Sunday.

For the second consecutive day, heavy rains lashed Panchkula, Yamunanagar, Ambala, Karnal, Kurukshetra, and Sonipat among other places in Haryana while Fatehgarh Sahib, Mohali, Rupnagar and Patiala in Punjab also received heavy showers, a Met official here said.

Also Read: Monsoon, falling production drive veggie prices skyward in Bengaluru

The heavy monsoon downpour led to traffic snarls on key road stretches in the two states and resulted in flight delays.

Patiala Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, who along with officials is closely monitoring the situation, on Sunday issued evacuation orders for people living in houses alongside Badi Nadi at Arai Majra in Patiala district. At some places in Punjab and Haryana, water gushed into houses causing inconvenience to the people. In Haryana's Ambala, rainwater entered several shops at the wholesale cloth market. In Punjab's Derabassi, heavy rain inundated the ground floor of a multi-storeyed residential complex leaving the vehicles in the parking lot submerged. Some residents of the complex had to be evacuated by authorities using boats as water had flooded the street.

In Mohali, Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain convened a meeting on Sunday and visited the Derabassi and Kharar sub-divisions and asked officers to ensure foolproof arrangements.

At the high-level meeting to review Mohali's relief works and dewatering activities, Jain ordered the officials to immediately attend distress calls and expedite de-watering in urban and rural areas to ensure a smooth flow of stormwater.

She urged the people staying alongside Ghaggar and Sukhna Choe to be vigilant in the wake of the increasing water flow.

"We are roping in six NDRF teams as a preventive measure to reduce the action time. They will be stationed at Mohali and other sub-divisions and one at Derabassi's Tiwana point of Ghaggar river embankment," the Mohali DC said.

She added that buses have been stationed and kept ready at sub-divisional headquarters for pressing them into immediate action, while medical and animal husbandry teams have also been asked to stay alert.

"Water has been released from Ropar Headworks which will be reaching Ludhiana Satluj by about noon. The nearby panchayats are advised to stay on alert and that no one should go near the embankments," said a statement issued by the Ludhiana district administration.

Owing to the increased flow in Budhha Dariya stream, the vigil has been increased specifically at low-lying areas and houses or slums on its banks, Ludhiana officials said.

Chandigarh, the common capital of the two states, continued to receive heavy showers for the second consecutive day.

According to weather data in the last 24 hours till 8.30 am on Sunday, Chandigarh received 302.2 mm of rainfall.

The minimum temperature in the two states and Chandigarh have dropped by few notches after the rains.

Until Sunday evening, more rains have been forecast in parts of Haryana and Punjab, the MeT said.