Gurdaspur/Pathankot, July 19: People living near the banks of the Ujh and Ravi rivers and low-lying areas in Punjab's Gurdaspur and Pathankot districts were evacuated to safer places on Wednesday after 2.60 lakh cusecs were released in the Ujh. The Ujh river comes from Jammu and after crossing Pathankot, merges into the Ravi in Makora Patan of Punjab's Gurdaspur district.

Because of heavy rains in hilly areas, 2.60 lakh cusecs water was released in the Ujh river, Gurdaspur Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal said. The administration also evacuated people living near low-lying areas and on the banks of the Ravi river, he said, adding that a holiday was declared in some schools. Punjab Rains: Government Will Compensate People for Rainfall Loss, Says CM Bhagwant Mann.

Pathankot Deputy Commissioner Harbir Singh said around 100 people and 350 heads of cattle living on the banks of the Ujh river were evacuated to relief camps. Both the district administrations had issued advisories asking people living near the two rivers to remain alert. Punjab Rains: CM Bhagwant Mann Conducts Tour of Rain-Affected Areas, Takes Stock of Relief and Rescue Measures (See Pics and Video).

Aggarwal said the district administration is fully prepared to deal with any situation. The Gurdaspur DC said any information about flood-like situations can be given on the toll-free number 1800-180-1852. Several districts of Punjab and Haryana were battered by the recent heavy downpour that has left normal life paralysed and flooded vast tracts of residential and agricultural land.

Though the floodwaters have receded in many areas of Punjab and Haryana, authorities were still engaged in relief work and also plugging breaches in 'dhussi bundhs' (earthen embankments) that have come up along the Ghaggar river.