Panchkula hit by torrential rains, school kids narrowly escape tree collapse

Panchkula has been reeling under incessant heavy rainfall since Tuesday night, bringing daily life to a standstill and causing widespread disruption. The deluge triggered major incidents across the district, the most alarming of which occurred on Wednesday morning outside Satluj Public School in Sector 4.

A Scorpio car carrying six schoolchildren had a miraculous escape when a massive tree came crashing down upon it. Fortunately, all the children inside were unharmed. Panic gripped the area as crowds gathered at the accident spot, leading to a traffic jam outside the school.

Witnesses said the children were already inside the vehicle when the tree fell; otherwise, the incident could have turned into a tragedy. The confusion was compounded by the administration’s order declaring a holiday around 7 am in all government and private schools after children had already arrived in the morning.

As soon as the closure was announced, parents rushed in large numbers to collect their children, leading to long queues of vehicles and congestion outside schools across the city. Not just that, most of the roads leading to private schools and a few schools were also flooded.

Parents and residents expressed anger, criticising the timing of the administration’s decision. “At 7 in the morning, most children have already entered school premises. What is the point of declaring a holiday so late?” asked one parent.

Another resident questioned the lack of accountability: “Even after the Deputy Commissioner’s orders, some schools continued to call in children. Who will take cognisance of such violations? Why is the administration silent while children’s lives are put at risk?”

The fallen tree also uprooted an electricity pole, plunging the area into darkness. A team from the electricity department rushed to the spot to clear the pole, while police and municipal staff began removing the tree with the help of a JCB machine.

Traffic had to be diverted, and similar incidents of trees collapsing were reported from at least three other parts of Panchkula. City roads were submerged, and power supply was hit. Relentless rainfall has inundated several areas of Panchkula, with waterlogging reported in many localities.

Following the release of water from Sukhna Lake’s floodgates, Rajiv Colony in Sector 17 witnessed flooding, while major roads turned into streams, slowing down vehicular movement. CTU buses were rerouted as several stretches became impassable.

Near Tau Devi Lal Stadium and along the Panchkula-Zirakpur highway, fallen trees further obstructed traffic, forcing vehicles heading towards Kalka to be diverted through inner sectors. The downpour also disrupted electricity supply in several parts of the district.

Officials confirmed that a major power supply station located on the expressway near Barwala was affected. Waterlogging was reported in urban areas, including around Satluj Public School in Sector 4 and residential neighbourhoods in Sectors 14 and 15.

The Ghaggar river is flowing above the danger mark due to continuous downpour and discharge from Sukhna Lake. Authorities and police personnel have been monitoring the situation round the clock. Residents in low-lying areas near the river are being shifted to safer locations, and the administration has appealed to the public to keep away from the swelling waters.

Reports of structural damage have emerged from several sites. The highway stretch from Nada Sahib to Sector 25 crossing has been damaged, while a bridge over the Nandana Choe shows signs of strain. Another bridge near Mubarikpur-Sanauli road lies completely submerged.

People living in nearby jhuggis were asked to evacuate, with health officials on site urging them to practice hand hygiene and consume clean water to prevent communicable diseases. A medical camp has been set up for a week, with standby ambulances and medicines available for affected families.