CHANDIGARH: Even as heavy rains continue to wreak havoc in Himachal Pradesh, neighbouring Punjab is taking a hit. On Wednesday, 68 villages in Punjab were flooded after excess water from Bhakra and Pong dams were released.
The catchment areas of Pong Dam on the Beas River and Bhakra-Nangal Dam on the Sutlej River are in Himachal and both dams continue to receive heavy inflow.
At least 50 villages in the Gurdaspur district were flooded, as were 18 villages in the Ropar district. Officials said 500 people were rescued from Gurdaspur and over 250 from Ropar. Besides, a dozen villages in Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala districts were also impacted.
The Punjab government has sounded a red alert for Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, and Tarn Taran districts. The water level at Bhakra-Nangal dam has reached near its optimum of 1,680 feet and more water is likely to be released, which may exacerbate the flood situation. Bhakra Beas Management Board, which manages the Bhakra and Pong dams, said it will release water in a controlled manner.
The Ropar district administration has requested two units of the Army and two additional units of the National Disaster Response Force. Four NDRF units are already deployed in flood-affected villages.