Flood Situation Worsens After Non-Stop Rain In Punjab, Schools Closed

Amritsar administration has declared a holiday for schools in Ajnala and Rayya blocks, while in Gurdaspur, schools in two blocks of Dinanagar sub-division will remain shut.

Floodwaters from the Beas entered agricultural fields in Mukerian sub-division of Hoshiarpur.

Source : PTI

Incessant rainfall in the catchment areas of the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers, coupled with the release of surplus water from Pong and Bhakra dams, has worsened the flood situation in parts of Punjab. Several villages across Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Fazilka, Amritsar and Gurdaspur districts are reeling under waterlogging and inundation.

The Hoshiarpur administration on Monday ordered the closure of all schools on August 26 and 27, citing safety concerns. Similar directives were issued in Pathankot, Jalandhar and Kapurthala, declaring August 26 as a holiday for all educational institutions. Fazilka authorities also shut schools in 20 villages near the Sutlej river till August 28 as water levels continued to rise.

IMD Predicts More Rain In Punjab

The IMD has predicted more rainfall in the coming days, keeping officials on high alert as rivers and rivulets remain in spate across the state.

Floodwaters from the Beas entered agricultural fields in Mukerian sub-division of Hoshiarpur after heavy rain in the Chakki Khad catchment of Pathankot caused the river to overflow on Sunday evening. Several low-lying villages in the Tanda region remain inundated as water continues to be released from the Pong dam in Himachal Pradesh.

Amritsar administration has declared a holiday for schools in Ajnala and Rayya blocks, while in Gurdaspur, schools in two blocks of Dinanagar sub-division will remain shut.

Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said schools were being closed due to waterlogging on roads and the heavy rainfall forecast by the meteorological department. Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Aditya Uppal issued a similar order, citing continuous rains and the swelling of the Ujh and Ravi rivers.

The Punjab government has announced a special ‘girdawari’ to assess crop and property losses in flood-affected regions. Meanwhile, Fazilka authorities have also implemented ‘Thikri Pehra’ (community policing) in vulnerable villages as a precautionary measure.