Heavy Rains Cripple Fatehabad: 450 Houses Flooded, Man Swept Away in Swollen Ghaggar

Fatehabad district is reeling under severe flooding as a week of continuous heavy rainfall has paralyzed normal life, forcing authorities to take emergency measures while residents grapple with unprecedented waterlogging.

Bhuna town is the worst-hit with more than 450 homes under knee-deep water. Chandan Nagar, Model Town, Dhani Sanchla Road, and Shaheed Bhagat Singh Market areas are fully submerged, leaving dozens of families to take shelter in community halls as homes became unlivable.

The farming community is incurring huge losses with more than 900 acres of crops inundated in villages such as Rahan Kheri, Laharia, Dhani Bhojraj, and Nadhori. Farmers are facing possible ruin of their kharif crops as floodwaters keep destroying standing crops.

Deputy Commissioner Mandeep Kaur directed sudden three-day shutdown of all govt. and private schools of Bhuna, Jakhal, and Tohana blocks from September 3-5 to ensure the safety of the children in the hazardous conditions of waterlogging. District Education Officer Sangeeta Bishnoi highlighted zero tolerance towards laxity in guaranteeing student safety.

Local citizens have vehemently condemned bureaucratic lapses and widespread encroachments on natural water bodies for worsening the crisis. One notable case mentioned is the 27-acre pond in the vicinity of Guru Ravidas Temple, which has been dwindled to just 4 acres with the help of illegal construction works that destroyed the natural water retention capacity.

The incident took a tragic turn when Rajesh Kumar plunged into the swollen river Ghaggar on Tuesday afternoon and was carried away. The accident, videoed and gone viral, has initiated large-scale search operations by police and family members, but the victim is still missing.