A flood-like situation has gripped Ambala Cantonment as the seasonal Tangri River overflowed today, triggered by a cloudburst in the Morni Hills and relentless rain in Himachal Pradesh. The river, which had been a source of disaster in 2023, once again threatened residential colonies situated along its banks.
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Critical Water Levels: By Friday morning, the river recorded a massive inflow of 30,000 cusecs, nearly double the danger mark of 15,400 cusecs. By evening, officials reported the level had surged further to 38,000 cusecs before starting a slow recession.
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Ministerial Intervention: Energy and Transport Minister Anil Vij conducted an on-site inspection, standing on the Tangri bridge to monitor the flow. He directed the district administration to use loudspeakers for evacuation announcements and ensured that rescue boats were stationed at strategic points.
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Colonies Submerged: Water entered the streets and courtyards of over a dozen colonies, including Lucky Nagar, Babyal, Rampur, and Kardhan. Schools located near the riverbanks, such as the DAV Riverside school, were ordered to remain closed as a safety precaution.
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Emergency Response: The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) have been deployed. While partial dredging of the riverbed earlier this year helped the water flow more smoothly than in 2023, an embankment collapse near Chandpura led to the flooding of nearby agricultural fields.
