Tangri recedes after crossing danger mark, but fear grips Ambala residents

The Tangri, which swelled dangerously after heavy rainfall in the Shivalik region, continued to keep residents of Ambala Cantonment on edge. Colonies located along the riverbed faced anxious hours on Sunday night after the river surged to nearly 24,000 cusecs, well above the danger mark of 15,400 cusecs.

The overflow brought back grim memories of the large-scale destruction residents suffered two years ago when floodwaters inundated homes and streets.

Although water entered some streets late on Sunday, the situation eased by Monday morning with the flow dropping to about 8,000 cusecs. “The Tangri had touched 24,000 cusecs last night, but the discharge was smooth. By Monday, the level had receded to around 8,000 cusecs. There is no fresh alert and the situation is under control,” said Harpreet Singh, Junior Engineer with the Irrigation Department.

Vishal, a resident of New Ajit Nagar, said the fear of floods continues to haunt locals every monsoon. “An alert was sounded by the administration regarding the fresh flow of water on Sunday. People living in low-lying areas shifted their belongings to safer places, but fortunately the water didn’t enter the houses here. People have suffered heavy losses two years back due to which they live in fear during the rainy season.”

Meanwhile, in Yamunanagar district, Deputy Commissioner Parth Gupta, along with Irrigation Department officials, visited villages affected by the Somb, Pathrala and other seasonal rivers. He inspected Panjeton, Urjani, Chintpur, Baroli Majra, Yakubpur, Sadhora, Khanuwala, Khedki villages, and the Sadhora bridge.

The DC assured residents that all possible measures were being taken to prevent waterlogging. “The irrigation officials must ensure proper drainage in all villages, and where none exists, pumps should be installed. Roads damaged due to water must be repaired immediately,” he directed. Gupta further said no loss of life had been reported so far and the administration was on alert.

XEN Irrigation Vinod Kumar confirmed that water levels had begun receding. “In the Somb, the flow has come down to around 2,000 cusecs, while the Pathrala is at about 1,000 cusecs. The water level at Hathnikund Barrage has also dropped to 52,000 cusecs by Monday evening. The situation is under control.”

In Ambala, water from the Begna overflowed into agricultural fields near Barara, and flooding was reported on the Saha-Nohni road and the service lane of NH-344. Similarly, the Markanda, which had been flowing high, also started receding.

Munish Kumar, XEN Irrigation Kurukshetra, said: “The water in the Markanda has started reducing. At Jhansa head, a discharge of 10,268 cusecs was recorded, and the flow in the upper region is also falling.”