CHANDIGARH: As a result of the dewatering operations in the marooned areas 554 more villages became accessible today, bringing down the number of affected villages to 379 in Punjab.

A spokesman of the Punjab Government today said that with the recovery of 10 more bodies from Ferozepur and Gurdaspur districts, the death toll in the recent floods had risen to 671. In addition, 162 persons were still missing.

As many as 691 special medical teams had so far examined about seven lakh flood affected persons.

Special teams of the Animal Husbandry department, with the help of local gram panchayats and municipal committees had buried 13,220 carcasses to prevent the ‘outbreak of any epidemic in the State.

About four lakh poultry birds perished in the floods.

Out of 2,000 hectares under pisci culture S00 hectares had been badly damaged causing a loss of Rs 1.8 crore.

The spokesman further added that of the 152 state roads, traffic had been restored on 118 roads. Similarly, out of 2,333 damaged rural roads traffic on 1403 roads had been restored.

UNI adds; thirteen persons including two Army jawans were drowned in Ferozepur district yesterday,

According to reports received here a boat carrying 35 persons capsized between Khidar Pindi and Kasuwala villages in which 13 persons were drowned.

The two drowned Army men and three others were bringing people from the marooned villages when the boat capsized in flood waters at a road breach between the two villages.

The reports said that 22 others, who were also in the boat, either swam to safety or were rescued by another relief party.

The bodies of the 13 victims, including some women were fished out from the area this morning.

PTI adds: At least 11 persons were swept away to Pakistan from Amritsar district in the recent floods. Deputy Commissioner Sarabjeet Singh said here today.

They all belonged to Suratgharhi village in Patti subdivision and were taken as “missing.”

The death toll in the district has now gone to 69.

‘According to the Deputy Commissioner, 26,000 cattle head had also perished in the floods. However, there’ was no scare of outbreak of any epidemic as the carcasses after being chemically treated were buried.

All 256 agricultural tube wells in the district were damaged by the floods as 800 hectare of land along the Dhusi bundh had been covered with sand rendering it unfit for cultivation, This land, he said, would be reclaimed by the Punjab Land Development Corporation and other agencies.

The State Government had provided another Rs 5.25 corer for relief measures. Relief disbursement, he said, would begin on Monday.

Article extracted from this publication >> October 28, 1988