Heavy rain triggers flood threat in Punjab: Yellow alert issued, villages cut off; helpline number issued
Weather conditions likely to remain stable on Wednesday and Thursday, but fresh spell of showers predicted to begin from Friday
PTC Web Desk: A yellow alert for heavy rainfall has been issued in Punjab on Monday, with districts adjoining Himachal Pradesh , Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, and Rupnagar, expected to receive above-normal showers. The weather condition is likely to persist for the next 24 hours.
Amid fears of flooding, the Punjab Government has set up a state-level flood control room in Jalandhar under the supervision of minister Aman Arora. He, along with advisor Deepak Bali and district commissioners, will monitor the situation closely.
The government has also released a helpline number 0181-2240064 for flood-affected residents to seek assistance at any time. The districts of Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, and Fazilka have been identified as most vulnerable, with ministers and senior officials appointed as in-charge for each district.
Meanwhile, following heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, two gates of the Bhakra Dam have been opened by two feet each. The water level at Bhakra Dam has reached 1668.57 feet, just 11 feet below the danger mark of 1680 feet, though the Sutlej River remains under control.
In contrast, water levels at the Ranjit Sagar Dam have touched the danger mark of 527 meters after rainfall in Jammu and Kashmir, leading to excess water being released. This has increased the flood threat in Punjab’s Majha region. The Ravi river’s rising levels have already forced the closure of the Pathankot-Jammu Highway, with a high alert sounded from Pathankot to Amritsar. Educational institutions in Pathankot remain shut.
The old Chakki bridge connecting Pathankot with Himachal Pradesh has collapsed, while another bridge over Sahar Khad on the Jammu-Pathankot route has also been washed away.
The authorities have restricted movement near riverbanks in Ajnala. Rising water levels in the Ravi, Ujh, and Chakki rivers have led to flood-like conditions in several areas of Gurdaspur. At Dinanagar, the confluence point of the Ravi and Ujh rivers at Makora Pattan has overflowed, cutting off seven villages located near the Pakistan border.
According to the Meteorological Department, rainfall is expected again today in Hoshiarpur, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, and Rupnagar. Weather conditions are likely to remain stable on Wednesday and Thursday, but a fresh spell of showers is predicted to begin from Friday.