Flood situation worsens in Punjab after heavy water discharge from Bhakra, Pong dams
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Punjab's Rupnagar district administration on Wednesday asked locals living near the Sutlej river to remain on alert as heavy water has been discharged from the Bhakra Dam following heavy rain in its catchment area in Himachal Pradesh.
At 6 am, the water level in the Bhakra dam was 1,677.84 feet against its maximum capacity of 1,680 feet. The water inflow in the dam was 86,822 cusecs while the outflow was 65,042 cusecs.
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Officials said in view of the heavy rain in Himachal, the water discharge is being increased from 65,000 cusecs to 75,000 cusecs from the dam and villages in the Nangal area may be impacted.
Also read: Chandigarh schools to remain closed till September 7 amid heavy rains
All schools, colleges, universities in Punjab closed till September 7
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The Patiala district administration has also issued an alert for the residents of villages near the Ghaggar river in Rajpura sub-division in the wake of heavy rain in the catchment areas of the water body.
The district administration of SAS Nagar asked residents along the banks of the Ghaggar river to remain cautious.
Punjab is facing massive floods, caused by the swollen Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets following heavy rain in their catchment areas in Himachal and Jammu and Kashmir. Rain in Punjab has also worsened the flood situation in the state.
Entire Punjab has been impacted by nature's fury, with the deluge claiming 30 lives and impacting over 3.5 lakh people.
Amid ongoing heavy rain in several states, the India Meteorological Department had issued red alert warnings for three hours for several districts across Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, northern Punjab, northern Haryana, eastern Rajasthan, southwest Uttar Pradesh, northwest and eastern Madhya Pradesh and Odisha.
According to the IMD, districts under red alert in Jammu and Kashmir included Poonch, Mirpur, Rajouri, Reasi, Jammu, Ramban, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua, Doda and Kishtwar. In Punjab, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, Moga, Ludhiana, Barnala and Sangrur are under red alert; while in Himachal Pradesh, Mandi, Una, Bilaspur, Sirmaur and Solan are under similar warnings. Haryana’s Yamunanagar, Ambala, Kurukshetra and Panchkula are under the same warning.
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Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will visit flood-affected areas of Punjab on Thursday to take stock of the damage and assess the needs of affected farmers. Chouhan confirmed his visit on Wednesday, stating he would be in Punjab on September 4. Earlier in the day, the minister spoke to Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to understand the scale of the devastation caused by heavy rain. “Today, I discussed the flood situation arising due to heavy rainfall in Punjab with the Governor of Punjab, Chief Minister, and Agriculture Minister and obtained detailed information. “I will reach Punjab tomorrow morning and meet my brothers and sisters in the flood-affected areas. In this hour of crisis, the Central Government stands firmly with the brothers and sisters of Punjab and will provide all possible assistance,” Chouhan said.
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In Kullu district, a late-night landslide struck a residential area in inner Akhara Bazaar, damaging a house and leaving two persons feared trapped under the debris, officials said on Wednesday. The incident occurred around midnight amid continuous rainfall that has battered the region over the past several days, heightening the risk of slope failures and flash floods. According to local sources, the landslide hit the house, catching its occupants off guard. However, one person managed a narrow escape by jumping out through a window moments before the structure was struck. “It happened so fast—everything started shaking, and before we knew it, the wall came crashing down,” said a local resident. Rescue operations were launched immediately, with teams from the district administration and emergency services reaching the spot. Despite continuous efforts through the night, the two missing individuals had not been located at the time of filing this report. Authorities said heavy rainfall and unstable terrain were hampering the operation, making it difficult for rescue teams to safely clear debris amid fears of further slides. The area has been cordoned off, and nearby residents have been advised to evacuate as a precautionary measure. Officials have also urged people living in landslide-prone zones to remain alert and follow safety advisories. Further updates are awaited as rescue efforts continue in challenging conditions.
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The district administration has begun evacuating residents from several Bela villages as the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) is set to release 75,000 cusecs of water into the Sutlej due to high inflows into the Bhakra Dam. By this morning, the dam’s water level had reached 1,678 feet—just two feet below the maximum permitted level of 1,680 feet. Inflows into the dam were recorded at 86,822 cusecs, while outflows stood at 65,042 cusecs. Villages, including Harsa Bela, Bela Ramgarh, Sensowal, Singhpura, and others are being evacuated as many have already lost road connectivity. Education Minister Harjot Singh Bains has urged residents to move to safer areas, assuring that shelter arrangements have been made in government facilities. Meanwhile, the Pong Dam is also under pressure, with water levels exceeding its optimum capacity by three feet.
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