New Delhi (TIP)- Unprecedented rainfall across North India over the past few days has led to an increase in water levels in the Bhakra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams. Reservoirs have filled up to levels that have not been achieved in a decade, according to the weekly report released by the Central Water Commission (CWC) today. The CWC releases a weekly report on the water level at all 146 dam reservoirs of the country. A comparison of the data released today and that of last week (July 6) shows that water level in the Bhakra dam has gone up by 30 feet within a week. The 260 sq km reservoir of the Pong dam has recorded a rise of 28 feet during this period. The water level in the Ranjit Sagar dam has risen by 34 feet. The water level, when seen against the full reservoir capacity of these dams, is higher in percentage than the 10-year average of the water levels, the CWC said.
20 bodies recovered in rain-ravaged Kullu; Punjab bus found in Beas
The bodies of 20 people, including the driver of a Punjab Roadways bus that had been missing for the past two days, were recovered in the rain-ravaged Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh on Thursday, July 13. The district had been grappling with unprecedented heavy rain over the past five days that led to the flooding of the Beas river and triggered landslides. The district authorities confirmed that 11 of the 20 victims had been identified.
Of the bodies retrieved so far, three are of women. The bodies were found during rescue operations going for the past three days, said an official. “All these bodies have been found in different locations in Kullu. The wreckage of a PRTC bus was spotted in Beas river on July 13. The PRTC bus which was on its way from Chandigarh to Manali was parked on the roadside when Beas washed away a portion of the road. “The bus driver has been tracked but the conductor is still untraceable, there were no passengers in the bus,” said additional director general of police Abhishekh Trivedi.
Among the deceased, 10 victims were swept away by the raging Beas, while seven devotees lost their lives on the treacherous route of the Shrikhand Yatra (pilgrimage) in the Nirmand area. The devotees succumbed to extreme cold and lack of oxygen in the high-altitude area.The Punjab Roadways bus, which was going from Chandigarh to Manali when it went missing two days ago, was spotted in the Beas river as the water level receded on Thursday, July 13. The body of the driver was found but that of the conductor and the rest of the passengers are untraceable. Three bodies were recovered from debris after landslides hit Lankabekar, Patlikulah and Brau, respectively.
Source: TNS and HT