Fresh breaches, high alert in Haryana (Indian Express 09 July 2010)

Several districts in Haryana were on high alert as heavy rain continued and the Yamuna rose further. As the Army struggled to plug the 40-foot breach in the SYL canal at village Jogan Khera near Jyotisar in Kurukshetra district, a fresh breach erupted at Darsi village. Over 40 villages in the district are now under water, the new breach at Darsi having flooded a dozen today.
The breaches on both sides of the Ghaggar in Kaithal district have flooded around eight villages. The Army is in the process of evacuating residents. If the rain does not stop, it is feared that floodwaters could reach urban areas of the district headquarters town by tomorrow.
A breach in the Hansi-Butana link is also posing a serious threat. The water in the Yamuna was measured at 59,315 cusecs at the Hathnikund barrage this morning. Officials said a further rise could flood areas in the Karnal, Panipat and Sonepat districts. The administrations of all three districts are on high alert.
The Army is working with the Kaithal administration in the worst-affected Tatiana, Khushal Majra, Baupur, Hemu Majra, Lalpur, Seo-Majra and Bhatian villages. Deputy Commissioner Amneet P Kumar said, “The flooding is getting really serious. People in danger zone have been asked to evacuate immediately. The Army is helping in the relief operations. Efforts are on to plug the breaches. Over 5,000 people are affected, along with vast tracts of cultivated land and residential areas.”
The floodwaters are 6-8 feet deep in several areas, and around 3-4 feet on an average in all the affected areas. Army motorboats and divers are at work evacuate people. The situation is likely to worsen as more water overflows into the catchment areas of the Ghaggar, Markanda and Tangri.
Deputy Commissioner, Kurukshetra, Pankaj Aggarwal said, “A large number of personnel from the National Disaster Management Authority of India (NDMAI) are engaged in plugging the breach in the SYL canal and evacuating victims from affected areas, which are under five feet of water.”