At least 58 people have died due to heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjabhe, reported NDTV.
Almost incessant rainfall through the weekend and most of Monday resulted in an increase in the water levels of the Sutlej and its tributaries the Swan, the Sarsa, the Budhki, and the Sadhron. Water rushed into villages, wreaking havoc on daily life.
Landslides have been reported and schools remained closed in several districts as the Amarinder Singh government announced Rs 100 crore would be available for emergency relief and rehabilitation. Students of IIT Ropar were affected too.
Thirty-five villages and other locations on the banks of the Budhki and Sarsa rivers were evacuated, reported The Tribune on Sunday. Evacuation exercises were also carried out by the Indian Air Force and National Disaster Response Force officials in parts of the Ludhiana, Phillaur, Nakodar and Shahkot districts, while the chief minister toured the badly affected Rupanagar district on Monday, reported India Today.
An alert was sounded in several districts of the state following the release of excess water from the Bhakra Nangal dam after heavy rainfall in its catchment area on Saturday, reported News18. The dam on Saturday recorded a water level of 1,674.75 feet, which is around 60 feet more than in the corresponding period last year, and just about six feet below maximum capacity.
Students of IIT Ropar were also stuck on campus after rainwater flooded their campus on Monday. Water levels reached up to five feet in some parts of the institute, while its seminar hall was also submerged, reported the Times of India.
Social media posted videos from the affected spots on Twitter. Some kept hope going with footage of citizen rescues and little bits of cheer.
Also view:
Watch: Army team rescues goats from the roof of a submerged house in a flood-hit Punjab village
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