Chandigarh: The ravaging deluge in parts of
Punjab and Haryana have so far claimed 32 lives and despite
flood water receding in worst-hit Ambala and Kurukshetra
districts, the situation continued to remain worrisome with
flooding of new areas on Saturday, officials said.
About 12 villages in Haryana`s Fatehabad district were
submerged in flood waters as a breach occurred in a dam on
Ghaggar river at Rampura village.
Some parts of Moga in Punjab were also affected due to
the breach as flood waters reached Nihalsingwala area.
The Sirsa district administration is keeping a close
watch on the situation in the wake of river Ghaggar flowing
close to the danger-mark there.
Flood threat loomed in Kaithal town where a breach
occurred in Hansi-Butana link canal.
Many areas in Patiala and Sangrur districts in Punjab
were still submerged under water.
However, flood situation in Haryana`s Ambala district is
improving with water level in urban as well as rural areas
coming down considerably.
The Army plugged the breach in the Satluj Yamuna Link
which had flooded areas in Ambala and Kurukshetra districts.
Trains on the Ambala-Delhi rail section were restored and
the Ambala-Hisar national highway was opened for light
vehicles after a road portion, washed away near Naggal
village, was repaired, they said.
21 people died in flood-related deaths in Punjab, while
11 died in neighbouring Haryana, officials said.
Punjab`s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today
reviewed the flood situation and requested Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh to immediately send a central team to assess
the loss in the state.
More than 566 villages were submerged in flood waters in
the state, destroying crops in over two lakh acres of land, he
said, adding that according to initial estimates Punjab has
suffered loss of more than Rs 350 crore.
Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who had
visited Ratta Khera Kadma area in Kaithal district yesterday,
had ordered a `Girdawari` (revenue assessment) to assess the
loss caused due to the floods.
According to officials, the loss due to the floods in the
state is likely to cross Rs 1,000 crore.
PTI
