Many parts of Punjab continue to be under flood threat after the Indian Meteorological Department
(IMD) forecasted heavy showers in six major districts, including Amritsar. Both the Beas and Sutlej rivers have breached their banks, leaving nearby areas flooded.
According to the IMD, heavy rains may occur in Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Mohali, and Rupnagar districts along with strong thunderstorms for at least the next three days. Districts like Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Ludhiana, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Patiala will also receive moderate rain in
Bhakra, Pong Dam water level rises
Adding to the woes, the water levels in Bhakra and Pong dams continue to increase due to incessant rain in Himachal Pradesh. Authorities said the inflow of water in the huge Gobind Sagar lake was recorded to be 89,361 cusecs, due to which the water level of Bhakra Dam has reached 1,658.79 feet. Due to this, water is being continuously released, which has created the danger of flooding in the low-lying areas and fields, according to reports.
The water level in Pong has also increased, after which 57,000 cusecs of water was released into the Beas river in Talwara and Hoshiarpur, causing flooding. The water level of the Pong reservoir has reached 1,378.59 feet, while the maximum capacity is 1,390 feet.
The low lying areas near the Beas river in Sultanpur Lodhi of Kapurthala district and the Tanda area of Hoshiarpur district are still underwater. Farmers in Tarn Taran's Khadur Sahib area have claimed that their crops, paddy and fodder, have been submerged due to the rise in the Beas river.
Authorities have instructed people to stay away from Beas. They have also sounded an alarm after authorities could release more water from Harike Pattan Head Work, a barrage constructed at Harike, Punjab, where the Beas and Sutlej rivers meet. As per reports, 1.50 lakh cusecs of water are recorded upstream at the Head Works, and this could worsen.
Due to heavy rains in the hilly areas of Fazilka, the Sutlej River is in spate and its water level is continuously rising. People residing near the Sutlej bridge in Kanwawali along the India-Pakistan border area say that they are making their preparations in view of the possible danger.