Power supply, traffic and daily life disrupted in Sirsa and Fatehabad
A storm followed by heavy rain lashed Haryana’s Sirsa and Fatehabad districts late Saturday night, causing significant disruption to power supply, traffic, and daily life. The storm, which lasted for about 30 minutes, damaged hundreds of electricity poles and transformers, resulting in widespread power outages across urban and rural areas.
In Sirsa, officials reported the collapse of around 710 electric poles and damage to 40 transformers. As a result, electricity supply was disrupted in many parts of the district. While power returned to urban areas after 8–10 hours, several villages faced outages for up to 20 hours. The storm also caused trees to fall on roads, hindering movement and causing traffic jams.
The city of Sirsa recorded 65 mm of rainfall, which led to severe waterlogging in several areas, including Janata Bhawan Road, Shiv Chowk, Anaj Mandi and Circular Road. Water levels rose to nearly two ft in some areas and several neighborhoods remained waterlogged until Sunday evening. Public health teams were deployed to manage drainage but the ongoing installation of water drainage lines added to the difficulties of the residents and motorists.
Electricity supply in Sirsa city was affected from 9 pm Saturday until around 2 am Sunday due to broken feeders, wires and poles. Several rural areas remained without power until late Sunday evening. According to Dheeraj Kumar, Executive Engineer of the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), the supply has been restored in most areas, and new poles and transformers are being installed to replace damaged ones.
The Forest Department reported damage to nearly 200 trees in the district, many of which blocked main roads. Teams were dispatched to clear fallen trees and ensure smooth traffic movement. An assessment of damage caused to the green cover is underway.
In Fatehabad, the storm created similar chaos. High-velocity winds knocked down electric poles and trees, causing power cuts across the district. The worst hit areas included Tohana, Bhattu Kalan, Jakhal, and Kulan, with rainfall ranging from 24 to 52 mm. In contrast, Bhuna and Ratia saw only light showers.
Due to power cuts, water supply was also affected in many areas. In Nangal village, six poles feeding a 33 kV substation were damaged, cutting off electricity. In Samain village, a lightning arrestor blast at the 220 kV substation plunged the area into darkness. A tragic incident was reported from Gorakhpur village, where a tall, 11-storied birdhouse built for birds collapsed in the storm, reportedly killing many of these.
While the rainfall brought much needed relief from the intense heat that had gripped the region for days, it also exposed weaknesses in infrastructure. In low-lying areas of Fatehabad, water accumulated quickly. However, prompt action by local authorities ensured early drainage.
