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Struck by worst flood in 40 years, Punjab declared disaster-hit
37 dead, lakhs displaced, more than 1,600 villages marooned in Punjab amid torrential rains, release of dam water into already-raging rivers
With 37 dead, lakhs displaced and swathes of land submerged, Punjab has been declared disaster-hit as the worst floods in 40 years continue to ravage the state.
Chief secretary KAP Sinha, who is also the chairman of the state executive committee constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2025, on Wednesday authorised the district magistrates to issue requisite orders under Section 34 of the Act in the event of a threatening disaster situation.
The state government has declared all 23 districts of the state flood-hit after torrential rains and release of water from dams has left the Beas, Sutlej, Ravi and their tributaries swollen, causing extensive flooding in areas located along these rivers.
“With the situation still evolving, there is a grave concern that conditions may deteriorate in the coming days,” the chief secretary’s order said.
So far, the deluge has claimed 37 lives and impacted over 3.55 lakh people. The government has evacuated 19,474 people across the state.
As per the fresh figures in the daily flood bulletin released by the state government, Hoshiarpur district has recorded highest seven deaths, followed by six in Pathankot, five in Barnala, and four each in Amritsar and Ludhiana district. Bathinda and Mansa districts reported three deaths each, while one death each has been recorded in Gurdaspur, Patiala, Rupnagar and Mohali districts.
The toll includes those who died due to electrocution, house collapse incidents and drowning. Three persons are also reported missing in Pathankot.
Gurdaspur hit hardest
Among the 1,655 villages largely impacted by the floods, the maximum, 324, are in Gurdaspur district, 190 in Amritsar, 123 in Kapurthala, 121 in Hoshiarpur, 114 in Mansa, 88 in Pathankot and 77 in Fazilka district.
The ravaging floods have resulted in extensive financial losses to farmers, particularly in the crucial paddy-growing season, as 4.31 lakh acres (1.75 lakh hectares) of land is submerged across the state.
According to official data, highest 99,160 acres of agricultural land has been affected in Gurdaspur district alone, 61,717 in Mansa and 56,834 in Amritsar district. In Fazilka district, 43,950 acres of land is inundated, followed by 43,539 acres in Ferozepur, 36,902 acres in Kapurthala, 16,210 acres in Sangrur and 14,754 in Hoshiarpur districts.
The loss of livestock and infrastructure damage could be assessed once the flood water recedes.
The office of director, land records, Jalandhar, a nodal agency managing state’s flood control room, is sending a daily report to the state financial revenue commissioner after compiling data about estimated loss to agriculture land and livestock, besides providing data on daily evacuations, deaths and missing persons in the affected areas.
Prompt action, relief measures directed
In the order, the chief secretary directed all district disaster management authorities (DDMAs) to take prompt and adequate measures to provide relief to the affected population.
“All line departments of the state will strictly adhere to their designated emergency support functions and take necessary actions to ensure timely and effective emergency response,” according to the instructions.
These departments have also been asked to ensure presence of their employees on duties assigned to them without fail, regardless of weekdays or weekends.
All departments and DDMAs have been asked to ensure smooth movement of people, goods and essential services within their respective jurisdictions.
“The public works department, water resources department and PSPCL have been directed to take urgent measures to restore their respective services on a war footing,” the chief secretary directed.
Similarly, instructions have also been issued to telecom service providers to ensure immediate restoration and uninterrupted maintenance of mobile and landline connectivity across the state.
Panchayati raj institutions and urban local bodies have been directed to take all necessary measures for emergency response, restoration and relief in the affected areas, and extend full assistance to the DDMAs and state departments.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann has already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting the release of ₹60,000 crore of pending funds from the Government of India, and a revision of compensation norms for farmers from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF).
He proposed raising the compensation from the existing ₹15,000 per acre to ₹50,000 per acre.
“While substantial funds are available in SDRF, the norms prescribed under the guidelines of the Union home ministry remain grossly inadequate to compensate farmers, livestock owners and vulnerable communities for the scale of their losses,” he wrote on Sunday.
