Alert sounded along Ravi river in Punjab as monsoon breaks

Chandigarh, Jun 15 (UNI) As the monsoon broke over the North-west region two to three weeks ahead of schedule, the threat of floods has begun to loom large in the border districts of Gurdaspur and Amritsar in Punjab following heavy rains in the catchment areas of the Ravi and its tributaries in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

The administration of the two districts sounded a general alert along the Ravi river, which cris-crosses along the India-Pakistan border.

A report from Gurdaspur stated that those residing along the low lying areas of the Ravi basin have been moved out to safer places along the Dhusi Bundh. The discharge of water into the Ravi from the Madhopur headworks near Pathankot was around 28,000 cusecus which further increased to 72,000 cusecus downstream where the Basantar, Ujj and other rivers join the Ravi.

Reports said that water has begun flowing over the platoon bridge in the Bharial area, bordering Pakistan in Gurdaspur district.

Though no loss of life was reported, Barial area had been cut off from the rest of the state.

The administration of the two border districts have alerted all police stations along the Ravi river and have asked those residing in the lower areas to move out. Both the districts received moderate rainfall today with Amritsar recording 22 mm rain even as officials stated that there was no immediate danger of the Ravi waters breaching the Dhussi Bundh.

Reports from Hoshiarpur said that a number of 'choes' (seasonal rivulets) were flooded due to rains in Himachal Pardesh and in the district. Flooding of the Bhangi choe led to about 250 jhuggis being washed away in Bassi Galan village.

The water levels in the Mehngrowal and Arrial choes had also risen and had eroded the soil all along its course posing a threat to villages in their vicinity. There were also reports of flooding in a number of cities and towns of Punjab.

MORE UNI HS SLD NS2001