Heavy rain, red alert in Punjab; rising dam levels trigger flood threat in border districts

PTC Web Desk: Punjab has been witnessing widespread rain since early morning, following which the Meteorological Centre has issued a red alert for heavy showers in several regions.

The weather department has predicted heavy rainfall on August 16, particularly in districts bordering Himachal Pradesh. Continuous downpours in Himachal have also increased the risk of flooding in Punjab. A flash alert has been issued for Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, and Gurdaspur, warning of heavy rain accompanied by lightning and strong winds reaching speeds of 30–40 km/h. 

Water being continuously released from Pong Dam has pushed the Beas river above the danger mark, while the Sutlej is also swelling. Low-lying areas in Gurdaspur, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, and Ferozepur are facing flood-like conditions. Several areas in Sultanpur Lodhi and Hoshiarpur are already submerged. Earlier, the IMD had issued a yellow alert for August 14 and 15, predicting heavy rainfall across the state.

Dry weather in most districts on Wednesday caused a 2.6°C rise in Punjab’s average maximum temperature, though the overall average remains close to normal. Abohar recorded the state’s highest temperature at 36.2°C. Other readings include: Amritsar – 32.7°C, Ludhiana – 32.9°C, Patiala – 35.8°C, Faridkot – 34.5°C, Gurdaspur – 34°C, Ferozepur – 35.4°C. Hoshiarpur also experienced light rain.

A yellow alert has been issued for Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Rupnagar, Mohali, and Fatehgarh Sahib today due to heavy rain forecasts. The same warning remains in place until August 16 for Pathankot, Hoshiarpur, Nawanshahr, Rupnagar, Mohali, and Fatehgarh Sahib. Weather is expected to turn dry thereafter, with temperatures likely to rise further.