THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Sept 5: People across the country are reeling under the impact of incessant rains and flooding. A report by the Central Water Commission (CWC) states that 24 rivers in India are in a state of severe flood, while the water level of 33 other rivers is flowing above normal.
According to the report, rivers in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Odisha are witnessing flood conditions. In North India, the situation is worsening, with heavy rainfall and flooding causing havoc.
Release of excess water from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir has led to the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers in Punjab swelling dangerously.
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Punjab has been hit particularly hard, with floodwaters spreading havoc and no signs of immediate relief. The Meteorological Department has issued warnings of heavy to very heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand.
If the forecast holds true, rivers including the Beas, Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab, Alaknanda, and Bhagirathi could swell further and trigger widespread destruction.
The CWC has also released flow forecasts for 50 dams and barrages across the country, covering major projects in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Gujarat. In Gujarat, the Narmada, Tapi, Sabarmati, and Banas rivers are expected to rise in the next two to three days.
In Punjab, the floods have affected 1,655 villages across 23 districts, impacting more than 3.55 lakh people. Schools, colleges, and universities have been ordered shut until September 7.
Over the past month, at least 37 people have died. Farmlands have turned into ponds, destroying standing crops, while the Army and NDRF teams are carrying out rescue and relief operations.
The worst-affected districts include Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Firozpur, Hoshiarpur, and Amritsar, where people are being evacuated to safer locations. In Delhi, the Yamuna river is flowing above the danger mark.
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Eastern states are also under stress, with Odisha’s Burhabalang, Subarnarekha, Baitarani, and Mahanadi rivers in spate, while in Bihar, the Ganga and Kosi rivers are running at full capacity.
