Flood water starts to recede in parts of Karnal, Kurukshetra & Kaithal

Thousands of people living in flood-affected areas of Haryana heaved a sigh of relief as the water started to recede.

As per reports, the water levels in the overflowing rivers of Yamuna, Ghaggar, Markanda and Tangri river have come down, resulting in a decrease in the flow of flood water into the villages of Karnal, Kurukshetra, Kaithal and Panipat districts.

State government reports revealed that at least 30 people have lost their lives due to the flood, which has affected around 1,000 people in 11 districts. At least 130 houses have been completely damaged by the raging waters and 183 houses have been partially damaged.

In Karnal, flood water from around 30 villages of Indri block have receded and people who were evacuated started returning to their homes. In Gharaunda block of the district, however, several villages are still under flood water and hundreds of people have been taken to safer places. The water level in the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana’s Yamunanagar was 54,282 cusecs at 8 am.

Officials said the flow of water in Yamuna has come down to around 50,000 cusecs and the situation will normalise in the next couple of days.

Electricity supply to tubewells of Haryana public health engineering department in 28 villages of Indri block and 17 villages of Gharaunda block has been restored to resume the supply of drinking water in these villages.

In Kurukshetra, the water-level of Markanda river has come down to around 20,000 cusecs following which water in areas of Shahbad, Pehowa and Ismailabad has also receded. Several residential colonies located on the outer areas of Kurukshetra city continued to remain inundated. Heavy rainfall on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday added to the woes of people as this resulted increase in the flood water.

Kurukshetra deputy commissioner Shantanu Sharma said people trapped in flood-affected areas, including Shahabad Markanda, Pehowa, Narkatari, Didar Nagar, Shanti Nagar, Kuber Colony, Saraswati Colony, have been rescued. At least 50 people have been evacuated from the Narkatari and Didar Nagar of Kurukshetra city. He said officials of the departments concerned have been directed to restore electricity and water supply to all affected areas where water has already receded.

Flood water has also started receding from affected villages of Kaithal with the flow of water in Ghaggar river reportedly coming down. As per reports, the water level in Ghaggar has come down to around 3 feet but the flow is around 25 feet and it is still above the danger mark. Also, flood water has also damaged several roads especially in Guhla and Cheeka area of Kaithal district.

Deputy commissioner Jagdish Sharma has said directions have been issued to the officials, and rescue teams are still monitoring the situation in affected areas. He said efforts are being made to restore the movement of traffic on the Kaithal-Cheeka-Patiala road. He said that NDRF teams and Army are working to plug the breaches which caused flood in around 20 villages located on Haryana-Punjab border.