Raikot canal breach floods hundreds of acres, farmer narrowly escapes disaster
Babushahi Bureau
Ludhiana (Punjab), June 17, 2026: Hundreds of acres of agricultural land were inundated after a canal embankment breached near Raikot in Ludhiana district on Wednesday, causing widespread damage to standing crops and disrupting farming activities in the area.
The incident occurred on the Raikot-Sahibajpura road, where the sudden breach led to a massive flow of water into adjoining fields. The force of the water was so strong that a tractor-trailer passing near the canal was caught in the current and nearly overturned.
According to eyewitnesses, farmer Gurdeep Singh, who was driving the tractor, sensed the danger and jumped off the vehicle in time, narrowly escaping a major mishap. The tractor, however, became trapped in the waterlogged area as the current continued to surge through the fields.
Local farmers said the flooding submerged large stretches of cultivated land, raising concerns over significant crop losses. Several fields were reported to be completely underwater following the breach.
Meanwhile, officials of the Canal Department attributed the incident to a farmer, claiming that certain activities near the canal may have contributed to the embankment's collapse. However, affected farmers have demanded a thorough inquiry into the incident and compensation for crop damage.
Authorities have begun efforts to control the flow of water and repair the damaged embankment, while an assessment of the losses is expected to be carried out in the coming days.