Kapurthala/Hoshiarpur, Aug. 13 -- Agricultural fields in the low-lying areas adjoining Beas in several villages of the Tanda region in Hoshiarpur district were inundated due to the release of water from the Pong Dam in Talwara following heavy rainfall in the catchment area, officials said on Monday. Meanwhile, the administration is yet to start the work on plugging a nearly 100-foot breach in a temporary 'bundh', which has inundated 16 villages in the mand area of Sultanpur Lodhi in the Kapurthala district due to the flow of water. BBMB said the Pong Dam reservoir level was recorded at 1,377.03 feet against the maximum capacity of 1,390 feet on Tuesday evening. A total of 57,087 cusecs of water was released- 17,849 cusecs through turbines and 39,238 cusecs through spillways. The average inflow into the dam stands at 51,797 cusecs. In the mand area, Kapurthala district administration has put civil and defence department officials on alert to tackle any exigency. The authorities have been using drones to take stock of the flooding in the area. Nearly 20 villages in the mand area of Sultanpur Lodhi and Bholath remained under water as the breach in Bhaini Kadar village led to flooding of over 4,000 acres of agricultural land, residential areas and schools in these areas. Sarwan Singh, a resident of Baupur village, said: "People from the affected villages have already moved to higher places with their valuable belongings and livestock." The villages included Baupur Zadid, Baupur Kadim, Rampur Gaura, Mohmdabad, Mubarakpur, Sangra, Baupur Kadim, Baupur Zadid, Bhaini Karim, Passan Kadim and Bhaini Bahadur were presently flooded. Deputy commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal said: "The water flow in the Beas is currently stable at 1.05 lakh cusecs, with no increase reported in the last 12 hours. The main Dhussi bundh remains fully secure. I urged the public to remain calm and avoid panic," he said. DC Panchal ordered the closure of the government high school and primary school in Baupur Jadid for the next two days. "Relief centres have been identified to facilitate the safe relocation of residents if required. Nearly 20,000 sandbags have been prepared by MGNREGA workers to strengthen flood defences," Panchal said. In Hoshiarpur, water entered the farmland along the banks, forcing people to shift to safer places. Several people living in the low-lying areas in Abdullapur villages in Tanda block have left their settlements and shifted their belongings to other places, some taking shelter in a gurdwara in Ibrahimpur village. River water has entered fields in Gandowal, Tahli and Fatta Kulla villages. The administration maintained that the situation was under control. "As of now, there is nothing to panic about. We have stepped up vigil in vulnerable areas", said deputy commissioner Ashik Jain....