A RIVER IN FLOOD
A RIVER IN FLOODLast year, I spent a part of my summer vacation with a friend in his village It was a small village situated on the bank of river Chcnab There were two protective1 bunds fifteen feet high all round the village They were strong bunds and had always saved the village from the floods.
It Was the month of August. The rains had set in The river was in low flood. There was a grove2 of trees near the river Every day we went there to spend the afternoon and the evening in cool comfort.
One afternoon, we noticed that the water in the river was rising. In an hour, it had overflowed the banks. We ran back to the village and told the people that the river was in flood. I was told that there was nothing to worry. The two bunds were strong enough to protect the village In the evening, the sky was completely covered with thick black clouds Soon it began to rain in torrents ~ It continued upto the early morning.
As soon as the rain stopped we went to the river. From quite, a distance we could hear the roaring waters. The land on both the banks was under deep water. Only the rapidly* moving curpent of water showed the proper place of the river. The water was lashing against the bund. It was rising every moment. It was already some ten feet high.
On the other side of the river there was no bund. I looked hard to find the two tiny villages that stood only a furlong from the river. I could not see them. The flood had swept them before it. Later, I was told that the inhabitants1 had left before the flood reached there. Now we were very much worried. It appeared that the first bund would not withstand the angry flood for long. The trees on the bund had already fallen. The water was eroding*the bund rapidly. We rushed back to the village.
All the people gathered in the school ground. It was decided that the women and cltildreh should be sent to a nearby village which was situated on a hillock,. The me.U were asked to get shove Is f axes and baskets and report at the second Bund. They began to dig earth and reinforce the
bund to protect the village if the first one was breachedl-. The roar of the river filled the air My eyes were fixed on the other bund.
Suddenly, I saw water rushing towards us The first bund had given way at many points. Fortunately, the area between the two bunds was very low. In a short time it looked like a big lake. When the water struck the bund we were standing by, it had spread and spent its force. Its level was now only five feet high. Most of us spent that night in a state of fear. But the next day brought us good news. The water was receding.
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