5 killed in ongoing floods in India's Punjab

NEW DELHI, Aug. 22 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed in the ongoing flooding in the northern Indian state of Punjab, officials said Tuesday.

The deaths were reported from Kapurthala and Fazilka districts during the past 24 hours.

"Three people were killed in Kapurthala and two in Fazilka districts due to drowning and building-collapse incidents related to floods," an official said.

With no letup in dam discharge, the low-lying areas of several districts are completely inundated.

Reports said thousands of acres of land remained submerged in water spilling over from the overflowing rivers after floodgates of dams were again partially opened for the sixth day on Tuesday.

Officials said though the water in most districts located upstream of the Sutlej and Beas rivers has begun to recede, the downstream areas of Fazilka, Ferozepur and Tarn Taran districts still remained inundated.

Floods in Punjab were triggered due to the release of water from the Bhakra and Pong dams in neighboring Himachal Pradesh.

According to officials, so far over 70,000 people have been affected by the floods in the seven affected districts of Punjab.

Last week landslides, cloudbursts, flash floods and house collapses triggered by heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh killed over 70 people. The incessant rains also pushed the water level up in several dams of the state.

Authorities in these flood-hit districts have deployed teams of the National Disaster Response Force, army and border guards to carry out rescue operations.

India Meteorological Department on Tuesday issued an orange alert for Himachal Pradesh, saying the state is expected to witness isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall (115.6 to 204.4 mm) until Aug. 24.

Last month floods hit 19 districts of Punjab, claiming 41 lives.