Three rescued from swollen Ghaggar

PANCHKULA - At least three people who had entered the swollen Ghaggar river in this Haryana town Saturday were rescued by teams sent by the district administration.

Panchkula Deputy Commissioner Ashima Garg told IANS that these people were searching for money and other valuable articles thrown by people for religious purposes in the river when they were swept away.

She said that in view of the increased volume of water in the river, people living along the river have been advised to be alert and not go near it.

Besdies Panchkula, authorities of Haryana’s Ambala district Saturday issued a flood alert following a rise in the water level of Ghaggar river.

Officials in Panchkula district said the water level in Ghaggar river had risen in the last 24 hours, following heavy rains in catchment areas of neighbouring Himachal Pradesh.

Floods have affected over one dozen districts of Punjab and Haryana, leaving 40 people dead and submerging over 2,000 villages and around 300,000 acres of agricultural land.