After heavy rains battered the two north Indian states of Punjab and Haryana earlier this week, floodwaters finally have started receding in several places, officials said on Saturday.
Sub-divisional Magistrate, Patran (Patiala), Mandeep Kumar on Saturday said floodwater has started receding from some flood-affected areas.
The officials also added that relief work is underway in affected areas in both states.
According to official data, 19 people have died in rain-related incidents in Punjab while the death toll in Haryana stands at 20.
Measures taken by the states
In a bid to prevent any outbreak of vector-borne diseases in the flood-affected areas, health department officials have been directed to take appropriate steps.
The officials also said that medical camps have been set up in flood-hit areas and medicines are being distributed to people.
District authorities, along with personnel from the Army, Border Security Force and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), were involved in the relief operations. They also distributed dry rations, medicines, drinking water and cattle fodder.
Over 22,000 people have been moved to safety from waterlogged localities in various flood-hit districts of Punjab. In neighbouring Haryana, 4,495 people have been evacuated.
Flood situation in Punjab and Haryana
Fourteen districts of Punjab including Patiala, Moga, Ludhiana, Mohali, Jalandhar, Sangrur, Pathankot, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Fatehgarh Sahib, Faridkot, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar and SBS Nagar, have been affected.
In Haryana, the number of districts affected in the recent heavy downpour stands at 13 – Ambala, Fatehabad, Faridabad, Panchkula, Jhajjar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat, Sonipat, Palwal, Sirsa and Yamunanagar.
The water level in the Hathnikund barrage in Haryana's Yamunanagar was at 54,012 cusecs at 11 am. The flow rate was significantly lower than Tuesday morning's 3.21 lakh cusecs, the officials added.
However, the overflowing Ghaggar river continues to wreak havoc in Khanauri and Moonak blocks in Sangrur district, inundating vast tracts in these areas.
In Patiala district, Shutrana, Samana and Sanour were the worst-affected areas.
