Punjab has been grappling with a severe flooding crisis for over a month. Since August 1, floods have resulted in the deaths of 30 people and affected more than 256,000 residents. The state government has declared this the worst natural disaster in decades. Torrential rains intensified by the overflowing Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers have wreaked havoc across multiple districts.
Amritsar is among the worst-hit areas, with 35,000 people affected. Following are Firozpur with 24,015, Fazilka with 21,562, Pathankot with 15,053, Gurdaspur with 14,500, Hoshiarpur with 1,152, SAS Nagar with 7,000, Kapurthala with 5,650, Moga with 800, Jalandhar with 653, Mansa with 163, and Barnala with 59 affected individuals.
Source: aajtak
According to the state government bulletin, Pathankot recorded the highest number of fatalities at six. Amritsar, Barnala, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Mansa, and Ropar accounted for three deaths each, while Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Patiala, Mohali, and Sangrur reported one death each. Three individuals remain missing in Pathankot.
Thus far, 15,688 people have been rescued to safer locations. The largest number of evacuations occurred in Gurdaspur with 5,549 people, followed by Firozpur with 3,321, Fazilka with 2,049, Amritsar with 1,700, and Pathankot with 1,139 people rescued from flood-affected areas.
Heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir's catchment areas, causing the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers and seasonal streams to overflow, has led to widespread flooding in Punjab.
Source: aajtak
Over 1,300 Villages and 256,000 People Affected
The flood has engulfed numerous villages in Punjab, including 321 in Gurdaspur, 88 in Amritsar, 24 in Barnala, 72 in Fazilka, 76 in Firozpur, 94 in Hoshiarpur, 55 in Jalandhar, 115 in Kapurthala, 77 in Mansa, 39 in Moga, and 82 in Pathankot. In total, approximately 1,300 villages across 12 districts and 256,107 individuals are impacted.
Health Services and Medical Camps
In Firozpur district, the health department has established 400 medical camps, treating 8,700 patients to date. Mobile medical teams are distributing medicines and ORS to villages, emphasizing special care for pregnant women and children.
Source: aajtak
Schools and Colleges Closed in Chandigarh and Punjab
Due to heavy rainfall, all schools in Chandigarh were ordered to close on Tuesday. Authorities are monitoring the Patiala's Rau river closely, issuing timely alerts for low-lying areas. Similarly, the Punjab government mandated the closure of colleges, universities, and polytechnic institutes statewide until September 3.
Satellite Imagery of Flood Areas
India Today's OSINT team used data from the European Space Agency's Copernicus Sentinel-1 to analyze flooded regions from August 25 to 31. They found that the Ravi river expanded up to ten times its usual width, submerging thousands of homes, villages, and fields.
Source: aajtak
Ongoing heavy rains have further worsened the situation in Hoshiarpur district. Areas like Garhshankar and Hoshiarpur sub-division are severely affected, with water entering homes in Hakumatpur, Aliwalpur, Bhana, Thakkarwal, and Khanpur villages.
Garhshankar SDM Sanjeev Kumar mentioned that cooked food is being supplied to affected families with the support of local Gurudwaras. Meanwhile, Hoshiarpur SDM reported that the breach of the Kukran embankment led to water inundating several villages. As of now, 100 villages have been declared flood-affected, and 5,971 hectares of farmland are submerged, with 10 relief camps sheltering 1,041 people.
Agricultural and Infrastructure Loss
In Punjab, 96,061 hectares of farmland have been inundated by floodwaters, with significant livestock losses anticipated. Exact figures will emerge once the water recedes. Assessment of damage to infrastructure will also be carried out once the floodwaters subside.
Throughout the state, the NDRF, SDRF, Army, and Punjab Police are actively engaged in relief operations. The NDRF has deployed 20 teams in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Firozpur, Fazilka, and Bathinda. So far, 14,936 people have been safely evacuated by the combined efforts of the army, BSF, and local administration.
As the situation remains critical, ongoing relief and rescue operations continue, but millions still face the continued impact. Authorities have clarified that a full assessment of the damage can only be made after water levels recede.
