The district administration claimed to have braced itself for the flood but it faced difficulty in persuading villagers to leave their homes and move to safe places with their cattle and valuables. — File Photo

KASUR: A surge in the Sutlej river submerged standing crops in a number of villages on Tuesday and the district administration called for evacuation of the villages because of fears of a low flood.

The district administration claimed to have braced itself for the flood but it faced difficulty in persuading villagers to leave their homes and move to safe places with their cattle and valuables.

On Tuesday, the water level at Keekar Post stood at 17.5 feet (a rise of four feet in a couple of days). The water level is likely to rise further.

According to reliable sources, the water released by India was rainwater accumulated at Opra Barrage and it had nothing to do with Bhakra Dam which was yet to be filled.

Standing crops on hundreds of acres were inundated in more than 15 villages, including Bhikhi Wind, Kalanger, Nagar, Kamal Pura, Mastaiki, Pattan, Chanda Singhwala, Basti Bangladesh, Phatiwala and Bakar Kay.

The district administration said it had set up tents at Talwar Post for the people of affected villages.

AC Capt (retd) Altaf Hussain said that although the flood was of low level it had submerged crops but not entered homes.

He said efforts were under way to evacuate the villages.

District in-charge of rescue operation Dr Ikhtisham Hasan said a local team had reached the affected areas, while a special force from Lahore had arrived at Talwar Post on Monday night.