AMRITSAR, Aug. 28 — Army units joined civil authorities and police in massive rescue operations in the Ramdass belt of Amritsar district, where nearly 40 villages have been inundated since Wednesday after a breach in the Dhussi Bandh along the Ravi river.
Officials said the situation worsened overnight as floodwaters spread rapidly across the countryside. “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 around 4 a.m.
Troops were seen maneuvering Army trucks and boats through waist-deep water to pull stranded families out of their homes. Residents said the water rushed in just hours after the embankment gave way in at least three spots, leaving them with little time to gather belongings.
By Wednesday evening, officials estimated about 20 villages were under water. That number doubled within 24 hours as the swollen river breached fresh areas. The worst-hit villages include 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.
Additional Deputy Commissioner Rohit Gupta and Senior Superintendent of Police Maninder Singh accompanied the DC to coordinate field operations with the Army. Loudspeaker announcements by police urged families to leave their houses and shift to safer locations as water surged into new habitations.
Rescue operations, which carried on until late Thursday evening, are expected to continue as inflows from the Ravi remain high.
