All 23 districts in Punjab, India, have been officially declared flood-affected by the state government. The recent flash floods have claimed at least 30 lives and affected over 350,000 people, as per a bulletin released by state authorities on Tuesday.
In response to the floods, Punjab’s education minister, Harjot Singh Bains, announced that schools and colleges will remain closed until September 7, according to ANI.
Reservoirs are filled to capacity, and rivers are nearing danger levels, prompting alerts in multiple districts.
Punjab is enduring its worst flooding since 1988. Heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir have caused the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, along with seasonal streams, to overflow and inundate vast areas of the state.
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More than 1,400 villages are underwater. The most severely impacted districts include Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Jalandhar, and Rupnagar (Ropar).
Deaths have been reported in 12 districts, with Pathankot experiencing the highest death toll of six. Nearly 20,000 people have been evacuated from flooded areas thus far.
Over 148,590 hectares of standing crops have been destroyed, noted Cabinet Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian.
To facilitate relief and rescue operations, the state has mobilized various agencies. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 20 teams, while the Army, Navy, and Air Force have sent 10 columns, with eight on standby, along with their engineering units. Over 35 helicopters are involved in rescue missions, supported by 114 boats and one state helicopter. Additionally, the Border Security Force (BSF) is active in affected border areas, reported ANI.
