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Punjab floods hit all 23 districts: 30 dead, 3 lakh affected as ghost of 1988 lurks
Gurdaspur remains the worst-affected district in Punjab, where 324 villages have been hit
The Punjab government on Tuesday declared all 23 districts of the state flood-hit, as heavy rainfall and swollen rivers continued to wreak havoc, leaving 30 people dead so far, and affecting more than 3.5 lakh residents.
According to official figures, Pathankot recorded the highest number of fatalities at six, followed by Ludhiana with four. Three people remain missing in Pathankot.
This is much below the figures for the 1988 floods, which saw at least 600 deaths, but the spread is as wide; and people refer often and with trepidation to the nightmare of 37 years ago.
The floods have also caused extensive damage to agriculture, with 1,48,590 hectares of crops submerged. Gurdaspur remains the worst-affected district in Punjab, where 324 villages have been hit. Amritsar reported damage in 135 villages and Hoshiarpur in 119 villages.
The deluge has been triggered by the swollen Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers, as well as seasonal rivulets carrying excess rainwater from catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, where heavy rainfall has wrecked havoc.
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According to the government, 19,597 people have been evacuated to safer areas so far.
Gurdaspur accounted for the largest number of evacuations (5,581), followed by Ferozepur (3,432) and Amritsar (2,734). Authorities have set up 174 relief camps, with 74 currently active — 29 in Barnala, 16 in Amritsar and 14 in Pathankot.
The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has deployed 23 teams across the state. Six teams have been stationed in Gurdaspur and Amritsar, while three teams are stationed in Ferozepur and Fazilka.
The Indian Air Force, Navy and Army have also been pressed into service, with 12 columns mobilised, eight more on standby, and two engineer columns deployed. Officials said between 30 and 35 helicopters are assisting in rescue and relief missions.
Meanwhile, amid heavy rainfall in Punjab, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alert warnings for several districts, including Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Rupnagar, Moga, Ludhiana, Barnala, and Sangrur on Wednesday morning for three hours. Haryana's Yamuna Nagar, Ambala, Kurukshetra, Panchkula, and SAS Nagar are also under the same warning.
All schools and colleges to remain shut till September 7
Punjab education minister Harjot Singh Bains has announced that all schools and colleges in the state will remain closed until September 7 due to the flood situation.
In a post on X, Bains also urged residents of the states to strictly follow the local administration's guidelines.
"As directed by Hon'ble CM Punjab Sh. Bhagwant Singh Mann Ji, in view of the flood situation, all Govt/Aided/Recognised & Private Schools, Colleges, Universities & Polytechnics across Punjab will remain closed till 7th Sept 2025. Everyone is requested to strictly follow the local administration's guidelines," Bains said in a post.
In Chandigarh, all private and government colleges have been shut till September 6 and schools have been closed till September 7.
Punjab CM seeks at least 50,000 per acre as flood aid from Centre
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has urged the Centre to give Punjab its due by revising what he termed the “unrealistic and insufficient” disaster relief norms.
Mann said although funds were available in the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), the relief guidelines issued by the Union ministry of home affairs fell far short of reality.
“The current norms are unrealistic. Farmers receive meagre compensation per acre, which does not even cover their rising input costs. Given the devastating crop damage, at least ₹50,000 per acre should be provided,” he asserted while visiting Gatti Rajo Ki village.
Kejriwal to visit flood-hit Punjab on Thursday
The AAP has said that its national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, will visit flood-affected Punjab on Thursday to take stock of the situation, reported PTI.
Kejriwal will visit the flood-affected areas along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He will take stock of the relief work being carried out in the state and interact with the affected people, it said.
Kejriwal had announced that the party's Delhi unit president Saurabh Bharadwaj was reaching Punjab with relief material, according to the news agency.
“Every day, AAP leaders, MLAs, MPs, and common citizens from Delhi will carry trucks of relief supplies to Punjab and serve the affected people. Many RWAs and traders are also extending their support at their own level in this tragedy. People from across the country are coming forward to help Punjab. Today, the entire nation stands with Punjab,” he said.
Horrors of 1988
For people in Punjab, the floods of 1988 remain the benchmark of misery. Some still remember living through that nightmare. References to 1988 have resurfaced not just during the ongoing deluge, but also in 2023, 2018 and even 15 years ago.
“After decades, we are suffering this situation again. As per my observation, it is worse now,” Gurnam Singh, a former sarpanch of Dugri village near the Ravi in Gurdaspur district, told HT earlier last week.
