Punjab is facing its worst floods since 1988 with 37 deaths and over 3.5 lakh people affected across all 23 districts. Overflowing rivers, heavy rains and crop losses have created a massive humanitarian and agricultural crisis.
Punjab is reeling under its worst floods in nearly four decades, with the disaster claiming 37 lives and affecting more than 3.5 lakh people. All 23 districts of the state are reporting damage, as overflowing rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, along with swollen seasonal rivulets, continue to submerge villages. The floods have been triggered by relentless rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, which has spilled downstream into Punjab.
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More than 1,655 villages are under water and the impact on agriculture has been severe. Officials estimate that over 1.48 lakh hectares of standing crops have been destroyed, while farmers have also reported the loss of livestock. Several homes have either collapsed or been swept away, forcing people to climb onto rooftops or makeshift high platforms to remain near their cattle and belongings. In certain areas, farmlands have turned into deep water pools up to 10 feet, compelling residents to use boats for movement.
Worst-affected districts
Districts including Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, and Amritsar are among the hardest hit. In Rupnagar’s Sri Anandpur Sahib, Minister Harjot Singh Baines is personally supervising flood-control operations, while several nearby villages including Harsa Bela, Singhpura and Lodhipur remain on high alert.
In Tarn Taran, Cabinet Ministers Laljit Singh Bhullar and Harbhajan Singh ETO, accompanied by senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia, visited badly affected villages like Mararh and Kirhian, where river erosion has destroyed farmland and homes. Similarly, in Jalandhar, Cabinet Minister Mahinder Bhagat toured Kukkar village, distributing relief material while Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal sought Army support to fortify embankments.
Government response and relief efforts
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, after visiting flood-affected areas in Ferozepur, announced a special girdawari (loss assessment survey) to document crop and property damage. He assured compensation to affected families and appealed to the rest of the country for support.
“Whenever the country faced a crisis, Punjab was there. Today Punjab is in crisis. The country must stand with us,” he said.
Relief camps have been set up across districts, though many villagers are reluctant to move away from their livestock. The administration has ordered round-the-clock vigilance, reinforcement of embankments, and stepped-up evacuation drives. In Fazilka, DC Amarpreeet Kaur Sandhu confirmed that 3.11 lakh cusecs of water have been released from Hussainiwala Headworks into the Sutlej, with district teams on emergency duty.
In Patiala, DC Preeti Yadav has sought Army support as water levels rise in the Ghaggar River. Meanwhile, Barnala DC T Banith urged residents to vacate unsafe homes and relocate to relief camps.
In Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Deputy Commissioner Ankurjeet Singh reported that while the Sutlej’s water level at Dhaingarpur has reached 65,000 cusecs, a breach in the embankment was repaired overnight with community help.
AAP leadership visits Punjab
AAP leaders at both the state and national level have taken active roles in flood relief. While CM Mann is coordinating ground response, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal is scheduled to visit Punjab on Thursday to review ongoing operations and meet affected families. Earlier, Manish Sisodia inspected relief work in Tarn Taran, and AAP MP Raghav Chadha announced an allocation of Rs 3.25 crore from his Local Area Development Scheme fund to support flood-hit communities. Several other ministers and MLAs have been traveling to villages, distributing food, fodder, and aid.
Revenue Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian delivered four truckloads of relief material, including fodder, in Sultanpur Lodhi. In Ajnala, MP Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal provided supplies to displaced families.
Public support and celebrities step in
Punjab’s crisis has also drawn attention from public figures and the Punjabi entertainment industry. Sonu Sood, Diljit Dosanjh, Gippy Grewal, Karan Aujla, Ammy Virk and Ranjit Bawa have not only voiced solidarity but are also contributing to relief work. Their involvement is helping amplify the scale of the crisis nationally and is expected to mobilize more donations and aid for affected communities.
Rivers remain on high alert
Despite repair work and strengthening of embankments, the threat from overflowing rivers remains. In SAS Nagar, MP Malwinder Singh Kang and DC Komal Mittal inspected damage along the Patiala Ki Rao, where erosion has disrupted road links. Authorities have urged residents living close to Ghaggar and Sukhna choe to remain alert.
Officials warn that continued rainfall could worsen the already critical situation. With over 3.5 lakh people impacted and entire villages submerged, Punjab faces weeks of hardship before water levels recede.
(With inputs from agencies)