AMRITSAR, Aug. 28 — Nearly 40 villages in the Ramdass-Ajnala belt of Amritsar district have been submerged after a breach in the Dhussi Bandh along the Ravi river, prompting a large-scale rescue mission led by the Army and supported by civil authorities and police.
Officials said the embankment gave way at three points late Wednesday, unleashing floodwaters that spread rapidly overnight. “As the water level has increased and more villages are submerged, it was impossible to drive in government vehicles and therefore tractor trailers and Army vehicles are being used to rescue people,” noted Deputy Commissioner Sakshi Sawhney, who reached the area with senior officers at about 4 a.m.
By Wednesday evening, authorities estimated nearly 20 villages had gone under. Within 24 hours, the figure doubled as the swollen Ravi inundated fresh areas. Army units were seen wading through waist-deep water with trucks and boats to pull residents from their homes. Families said the surge left little time to gather belongings.
Among the hardest hit are Ghonewal, Machhiwal, Mangu Naru, Shahzada, Jattan, Kot Gurbaksh, Pashian, Nissoke, Singhoke, Mehmad, Mandrawala, Ghaggar, Dharmabad, Ramdass, Shampura, Kotli Shah Habib, Nangal Sohal, Rurewal, Khatra, Pandori, Thangai, Malikpura, Langarpur, Dujowal, Bedi Channa, Kot Razada, Sufian, Samrai, Bhadal, Chharpur, Galib, Darya Mansoor, Bal Labhe Darya, Nangal Anb, Kamirpura, Bhaini Gill, Chak Wala, Jagdev Khurd, Sahowal, Dhai Singhpura and Bajwa.
Loudspeaker announcements were made in several localities, urging families to evacuate to higher ground as water entered new habitations. Additional Deputy Commissioner Rohit Gupta and Senior Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh accompanied the DC to coordinate operations with the Army.
“People are being evacuated continuously and shifted to safer places,” an official involved in the field operations said, adding that efforts were being made to ensure medical aid and food supply for those displaced.
Rescue work carried on until late Thursday evening and is expected to continue as heavy inflows from the Ravi show no sign of abating.
