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Punjab: Army steps up rescue ops as 835 villages remain flooded
The Punjab government has established a state-level flood control room at Jalandhar’s Circuit House, staffed by multiple teams monitoring the situation continuously.
Punjab is grappling with one of its worst flood crises in recent years as incessant monsoon rains have caused rivers to swell, inundating 835 villages across the state. The deluge has led to the evacuation of nearly 6,600 people, with the administration and the Indian Army working round-the-clock to conduct rescue and relief operations.
The Punjab government has established a state-level flood control room at Jalandhar’s Circuit House, staffed by multiple teams monitoring the situation continuously.
Jalandhar deputy commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal, nodal officer of the flood control room, said 202 villagers are affected by floods in Gurdaspur district, followed by 107 in Kapurthala, 93 in Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur 85 and 81 in Pathankot district.
Aggarwal added that 64 villagers in Muktsar district have been impacted due to floods, 45 in Tarn Taran, 20 each in Fazilka and Barnala districts, 22 in Sangrur, three in SBS Nagar, 11 in Mansa, two in Rupnagar and one each in Fatehgarh Sahib and Malerkotla districts.
“At least 6,600 people from flood-hit areas have been shifted to 88 relief camps established in these districts and other safer locations,” he said.
Among the evacuees, 2,007 people hail from Ferozepur district, 2,200 from Gurdaspur, 1,100 from Pathankot, 1,052 from Hoshiarpur, 220 from Kapurthala and 20 from Moga.
“We have been monitoring the rescue and relief operations. The initiative aims to ensure timely delivery of relief measures to the affected population. Every possible effort is being made to ease the hardships of people during this crisis,” Aggarwal said.
The government has urged people still trapped in flood-affected areas to contact state control room number 0181-2240064 for assistance.
The situation in Kapurthala district has worsened due to the swelling of the Beas to unprecedented levels, with water flow reaching 2.31 lakh cusecs on Thursday. The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) reported the Pong Dam water level at 1,393.49 feet, surpassing its maximum capacity of 1,390 feet. This led to emergency water releases of over 99,000 cusecs to manage the dam’s safety.
Reacting to the crisis, Kapurthala deputy commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal ordered immediate evacuations in vulnerable villages and requested the Indian Army’s assistance. Army personnel have been deployed on the ground to support rescue operations and deliver relief materials.
“Saving human lives is our utmost priority. The army has promptly joined the efforts, working alongside SDRF teams to evacuate families and provide relief,” Panchal said.
More than 50 families have already been relocated to safer areas, and the State Disaster Response Force is working tirelessly to manage the situation.
“Residents are forced to move their belongings onto rooftops to protect them from rising waters. The current flood is worse than those in 2019 and 2023, with significantly higher water inflows,” said Rajya Sabha member Balbir Singh Seechewal, who is engaged in relief operations.
Declare floods as national disaster: Pargat
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Pargat Singh said: “The central government must immediately declare the floods in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir as a national disaster. A special package is needed for full compensation and rehabilitation of affected families, farmers, and livestock owners.”
Army launches extensive relief operations
The army has launched extensive humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations across flood-affected regions including Jammu, Mamun, Gurdaspur, Amritsar and Ferozepur.
A total of 28 Army columns, including medical and communication teams, have been deployed to provide ground support, evacuation assistance, restoration of connectivity, and medical aid, according to a defence spokesperson. Army aviation assets, including three Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and nine Cheetah helicopters, have carried out challenging winching and hovering operations, rescuing numerous stranded civilians from rooftops and flooded areas, the spokesperson said.
So far, 1,211 civilians have been evacuated, including 11 Punjab government officials stranded at Madhopur Barrage and 180 personnel from the Provincial Armed Constabulary. Nearly 2,300 kilograms of essential supplies such as food, water, and medicines have been air-dropped or distributed by helicopters and ground teams. Medical units continue to provide on-site treatment to those in need, the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile, the Indian Air Force on Thursday rescued 190 more persons and airdropped 6,750 kg of relief material in the affected areas.
With inputs from HTC Chandigarh)
