Early monsoon rains wreak havoc in Har; rail, road traffic hit

Arriving almost a fortnight in advance, the south-west monsoon brought heavy rains in several parts of Haryana, affecting rail and road traffic in the state, while water level in Yamuna river was at all time high.

The rains have led to an alarming increase in the water level of Yamuna, with an all-time record over 8.06 lakh cusecs water flowing through the Hathni Kund barrage early this morning.

Authorities have sounded a high alert in the neighbouring districts of Karnal, Panipat, Sonipat and Faridabad, with gushing waters expected to reach some parts of Delhi as well.

Rail traffic from Ambala-Saharanpur has been suspended as heavy rains damaged rail track near Kalanour railway station today, they said.

The National Highway No 73 (Amritsar-Ambala-Saharanpur) and Old Saharanpur road have also been closed due to flood.

In Yamunanagar district, normal life was paralysed and 52 persons were rescued by the Army and personnel of the National Disaster Response Force as several areas were flooded after Yamuna river's level rose alarmingly, prompting the authorities to sound an alert, state's Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue and Disaster Management) Krishna Mohan said.

One hundred and fifty residents of Shergarh Tapu village and 42 of Chandrao in Karnal district, who were also stranded due to floods, were evacuated, officials said.

There were reports of more people having been rescued in Karnal.

It has been raining heavily in several parts of Haryana and Himachal Pradesh's catchment areas near Yamunanagar during the past few days.

Yamunanagar Deputy Commissioner Markand Khete Malish said that water has entered houses in several villages in the district and efforts had been launched to supply necessary food and other essential items to the affected.

Irrigation Minister, H S Chattha said that although there had been unprecedented discharge of 8.06 lakh cusecs in river Yamuna, the heavy floods have not yet caused any serious damage to the protection structures constructed along the river in the state.

Chattha said that the effect of the peak discharge was expected to reach Delhi in 48 hours after crossing Hathini Kund Barrage in Yamunanagar and after spreading in the plains in Haryana.