Punjab: Water recedes from flood-hit areas of Ferozepur, rescue operation continues

Ferozepur: Water has started to recede from flood-hit areas of Ferozepur district even as relief operations continued in villages near the banks of the Sutlej river, officials said on Monday.

More than 3,000 people have been rescued so far, they said.

On Monday, 1.60 lakh cusec of water was released downstream from the Harike headworks and 1.55 lakh cusecs from the Hussainiwala headworks, according to the officials.

Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Army, Border Security Force and the Punjab Police are assisting the district administration in the relief and rescue operation.

Four additional NDRF teams have joined the two deployed earlier to evacuate the stranded people.

"Around 28 boats have been pressed into service to evacuate the people. At one time, eight to 10 people are being rescued," said an official, adding that efforts are being made to convince those who are still in their villages to move to safer locations.

"The water level receded today and it will also help in the rescue operation. Hopefully, the road connectivity will be revived soon. We are also providing dry ration to the villagers and green fodder for their cattle with the help of various NGOs," the official added.

More than 150 villages in Punjab's Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Rupnagar, Ferozepur and Fazilka districts have been hit following the release of excess water from the Pong and the Bhakra dams.

After the release of surplus water from the two reservoirs on August 14, the Beas and the Sutlej flooded low-lying areas and locations near the riverbanks.