15 dead in rains, fresh breach in Satluj Yamuna link

CHANDIGARH: Fifteen people perished in floods triggered by heavy rains in Punjab and Haryana even as a fresh breach occurred in Satluj Yamuna Link at Udhar Singh village in Kuruskhetra submerging several adjoining areas. 

About 15 people, including two children, have lost their lives in flood-hit Kurukshetra, Ambala, Patiala and Ludhiana in the past two days. Among the dead are six each from Patiala and Ambala, two from Kurukshetra and one belong to Ludhiana. 

Meanwhile, about 20-feet fresh breach had occurred in SYL at Udhar Singh village in Kuruskhetra, worst hit due to torrential rains, inundating several villages in deep waters. 

A heavy downpour has also started in the district which will worsen the situation further, officials said. 

While, normal life, including movement of rail and road traffic, has been restored in parts of Punjab and Haryana with relief and rescue operations going on war footing in flood ravaged parts of Kurukshetra, Ambala, Patiala, Ludhiana and Sangrur. 

As part of relief and rescue operations, services of helicopters is being used by the army, besides personnel of National Disaster Rescue Force are working overtime to bring things under control in flood-hit villages in districts of Haryana and Punjab, officials said. 

Army and NDRF personnel are working to plug the breach at Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal in Kurukshetra district. 

The Kurukshetra-Pehowa road has been closed for the movement of traffic in view of water logging, officials said, adding that a fresh breach had occurred at Bibipur Lake close to Jyotisar in Kurukshetra district. 

Even as several seasonal rivers, including Markanda and Tangri, are flowing much below the danger mark, over dozen villages were marooned as water spilled over from overflowing of SYL near Naggal in Ambala district where Army personnel had been summoned for rescue and relief operations, reports said. 

Due to breaches in Ghaggar river at two places in Sangrur and Patiala, nearly 50 villages were cut off in Dakala area and had been marooned under knee deep waters, they said. 

NDRF personnel are also using services of motor boats and swimmers to rescue people trapped in houses and other places in the flood-hit areas of the two states.
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