Swollen Sutlej, Beas inundate several villages | 1,300 evacuated to safety in hill state
Chandigarh/Shimla: Many areas in Himachal Pradesh and Punjab were inundated on Wednesday, August 16, after the Bhakra and Pong dams’ floodgates were opened as the inflow in these reservoirs had increased to an alarming level due to rain in hills in the past three days. The toll due to rain-related incidents since August 14 has mounted to 72 in HP, a special report by Sanjeev Bariana & Pratibha Chauhan in The Tribune, Chandigarh, says.
According to official sources although inflow into the Bhakra and Pong dams had egun to recede, the floodgates would remain open for at least three days. The water level at the Pong Dam had reached 1,399.65 feet on Wednesday morning, while the maximum permissible limit is 1,390 feet.
The Sutlej has flooded villages between Nangal and Anandpur Sahib in Ropar district, whereas the Beas has inundated parts of Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur and Kapurthala districts. Villages in Tarn Taran district faced the fury of both the rivers.
The Gurdaspur administration sent an SOS to the Army, NDRF and SDRF after 36 villages were inundated. More than 250 people from Talwandi Kuka village of Bholath in Kapurthala district were shifted to a relief camp by the SDRF and the Army. At least 200 people are still stuck there.
In Himachal Pradesh, the ssurgiing Beas has submerged several villages in the Mand area of Kangra, forcing the authorities to rescue over 1,300 persons. IAF choppers were also deployed to airlift stranded persons. As many as 150 people are still stuck there.
The toll due to the monsoons in HP now stands at 327, with 38 persons missing. Vehicular movement remained severely crippled all across the state with the Chandigarh-Manali highway blocked at several places between Mandi and Pandoh.
Kangra Deputy Commissioner Nipun Jindal said people were reluctant to leave their homes and cattle despite warning that more water would be released from the dam. The worst-affected villages include Badala, Bela, Indora, Mand Sanour, Ulehrian and Mand.
Meanwhile, Thirteen bodies have been recovered from the rubble of the Summer Hill Shiva temple here as locals claimed there were 21 persons inside the shrine at the time of the landslide there. With almost 60 hours having passed since the incident occurred, chances of finding any survivors are now almost nil
The toll due to the monsoons in HP now stands at 327, with 38 persons missing. Vehicular movement remained severely crippled all across the state with the Chandigarh-Manali highway blocked at several places between Mandi and Pandoh.
There has been a 157 per cent surge in rainfall over the past few days that has resulted in extensive damage across Himachal, according to a statement from the said the Chief Minister.
The education department had ordered closure of all schools and colleges in the state and the Himachal Pradesh University has suspended teaching activities till August 19.
About 800 roads are blocked in the state and the losses suffered by the state since the onset of monsoon on June 24 have crossed Rs 7,200 crore.
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