In Punjab flood situation in Patiala and Sangrur districts of state continues to remain grim. Two children were drowned in the swirling waters of the Ghaggar river near Bhunerheri village of Patiala district today. With this the death toll due to floods in Punjab rose to five.<br/><br/>125 personnel of National Disaster Management Force have started rescue operations today on war footing in flood hit areas of Patiala district. 25 special boats are being used to bring out the people out of the affected villages at four places.108 villages of Patiala district have been hard hit. <br/><br/>Crops in thousands of acres of land have submerged in water. District officers with medical teams are camping in the flood hit areas. Central Water Commission team is also visiting the area today to review the situation.<br/><br/>Irrigation Minister of Punjab is also camping in Patiala to supervise the rescue operations. These floods in Patiala district have occurred due to breaches in SYL ,Hansi -Butana canal of Hariana and Ghaggar river because all the natural courses of water had been blocked. <br/><br/>In Ludhiana district 150 villages of Smrala and Machhiwara area are under water due to breach in Sirhind canal. Standing crops in 25 thousand acres of land have submerged in this area. About 115 villages of Fatehgarh Sahib District are also under flood threat.<br/><br/>Meanwhile even though the water level in the Ghaggar receeded this morning but a breach occured in the Dakala area of Patiala district as a result around 100 villages were cut off from the rest of the state.<br/>Union Minister of state for external affairs Parneet Kaur who is the MP from Patiala today undertook a tour of the flood affected areas.