Punjab is enduring a catastrophic flood crisis, triggered by the overflow of the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, compounded by heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. The state is facing its most severe flooding since 1988, with over 1,400 villages inundated across districts including Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Jalandhar, and Rupnagar (Ropar). The deluge has claimed at least 30 lives, with Pathankot reporting the highest number of fatalities.
Official reports indicate that Punjab recorded 253.7 mm of rainfall in August, a 74% surplus compared to the long-term average of 146.2 mm, with Gurdaspur and Pathankot experiencing the heaviest downpours. The floods have devastated approximately 300,000 acres of paddy and other crops, dealing a severe blow to agriculture just before the harvest season. Rescue operations are in full swing, with nearly 20,000 people evacuated from affected areas. The Indian Army, NDRF, BSF, Punjab Police, and local volunteers are working tirelessly to provide relief and evacuate stranded residents.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon returning from China, contacted Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to assess the situation and pledged full support. Mann has been actively touring affected areas, including Gatti Rajo in Ferozepur, to oversee relief efforts. The Punjab Congress president, Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, has called for the floods to be declared a national calamity, highlighting the crisis’s severity.
In a notable rescue effort, the Press Trust of India reported that Army officials and locals collaborated to reinforce the Dhusi Bandh in Ferozepur. Visual evidence from PTI Videos showed Deputy Commissioner Deepshika Sharma reviewing these efforts. As the state battles this unprecedented disaster, authorities continue to monitor river levels and coordinate extensive relief operations to support affected communities.
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