Crops, roads submerged in Karnal district as Yamuna swells

With the rising water level in the Yamuna river, several villages in Karnal district are reeling under floodwater. Crops in several fields have been submerged, leaving farmers worried about heavy losses. Roads connecting villages as well as Haryana and UP are also under water, disrupting transport and isolating communities.

The situation worsened after 3.29 lakh cusecs of water was released from the Hathnikund barrage in Yamunanagar district on Monday morning, which reached Karnal by the afternoon. By late night, water had entered low-lying fields, spreading into residential areas and cutting off vital road links. As per the residents, earlier in 2023, a major flood had wreaked havoc in villages along the Yamuna.

“We are scared because this reminds us of the 2023 floods. At that time our fields were completely destroyed and recovery took months,” said Rajinder, a local resident. Yashpal, another resident, said that this year also, the water has come again, and they fear the same suffering.

Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh reviewed the situation on Monday and directed officials to remain vigilant. He instructed them not to leave their stations without prior information. Officials of the Irrigation Department confirmed that round-the-clock monitoring was being done by field staff, including Junior Engineers, SDOs and XENs, under the supervision of the Superintending Engineer (SE).

An official alert has already been sounded across vulnerable areas. Meanwhile, villagers continue to watch the rising river anxiously, hoping the situation will be normal soon.