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Himachal rains raise flood risk in Punjab; farmers, residents affected
Relentless rain in Himachal Pradesh has pushed water levels at Punjab's main dams—Bhakra, Pong, and Ranjit Sagar—close to their limits.
On Monday, Bhakra Dam even crossed the 1,664-feet mark, with water flowing in much faster than last year.
The sudden surge is raising real concerns about flooding downstream.
Water released from dams
To manage the risk, dam authorities are releasing huge amounts of water: Bhakra is letting out 25,000 cusecs and Pong is releasing 18,000 cusecs.
But this has already flooded around 1,000 hectares of farmland in Kapurthala and Hoshiarpur districts.
Some residents have had to evacuate as officials keep a close watch on all three dams to keep people safe.