Punjab on high alert; swollen Beas floods 35 villages in Hoshiarpur after monsoon mayhem in Himachal

Continuous rainfall for the third day in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, along with the release of surplus water from the Pong and Bhakra dams, has caused the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets to swell, prompting the Punjab government to issue a high alert.

Deputy Commissioners of Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Pathankot, Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka have been asked to stay prepared for any emergency.

The directive came during a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary KAP Sinha on Tuesday morning.

This has led to flooding in several low-lying areas of Punjab, particularly affecting districts like Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, and Fazilka.

In response, local administrations have ordered the closure of schools and colleges till August 28 as a precautionary measure. Several villages, especially in the Tanda region, remain inundated.

Floodwaters from the Beas River have submerged agricultural fields in over 35 villages across Punjab after heavy rainfall and water discharge from Pong Dam.

Major breaches in embankments were reported near Motla and Mehtabpur, each around 100 feet wide, as per officials.

Crops, including paddy and sugarcane were destroyed in villages like Gandhowal, Rara Mand, Talhi, Salempur, and Mewa Miani, while homes were flooded in Haler Janardhan, Kolian, and Abdullapur.

In Kolian, nearly all houses were inundated, forcing evacuations. NGOs rescued 60 -70 women and children by motorboat, while others climbed rooftops.

Punjab Water Resources Minister visited affected areas, assuring compensation for losses and stating that Rs 276 crore had been allocated for flood protection. Relief camps have been set up, and essentials like food, water, medicine, and mosquito nets are being provided.

Water levels are gradually receding in Mukerian subdivision, but residents remain on alert.

An advance bundh near village Ahlikalan in Sultanpur Lodhi breached on Monday morning, flooding 35 villages and damaging paddy crops over 36,000 acres, said Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal.

“We spent the whole night trying to protect the bandh, wearing gunny sacks on our heads to shield ourselves from the rain — but in the end, it was breached,” said Shaminder Singh of Aahli Kalan village, Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala.

After nearly a month of relentless effort, the temporary bandh at Aahli Kalan was breached today. Villagers, along with volunteers, local societies, and good Samaritans, had been working day and night to protect the fields of more than 25 villages from flooding. The villagers took turns fulfilling their duty to guard the bandh.

Despite efforts to reinforce the bundh, the swollen Beas broke through and is now threatening the main dhussi bundh. Authorities have increased water discharge from Harike headworks to manage the situation.

3-storey building collapses in Amritsar's Majith Mandi

A three-storey building near Wahiya Wala Bazaar in the Amritsar's Majith Mandi area collapsed early Tuesday morning amid heavy rainfall. Fortunately, no casualties or injuries were reported as the building had been vacant for several years. Residents’ were awakened around 4:30 am by a loud crashing sound and found the structure reduced to rubble. Police and the Municipal Corporation quickly arrived at the scene to secure the area and begin debris clearance. Officials’ confirmed that the building was in a severely dilapidated condition. The incident has raised concerns among locals about the safety of other old buildings in the area, especially during heavy rains.