The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Sunday issued a red alert for Punjab, warning of very heavy to extremely heavy rainfall over the next 48 hours. The region is already reeling with incessant rain and a flood-like situation.
According to weather officials, the intense rainfall is likely to cause flooding and mudslides in hilly catchment areas, leading to severe waterlogging in low-lying urban areas.
The department also cautioned people that weak or vulnerable structures could be damaged by the volume and force of the rain.
Orange alert in parts of Punjab, Haryana
An orange alert has been announced for north and west Punjab, as well as north and south Haryana, from Saturday, indicating the likelihood of heavy to very heavy rainfall at isolated places.
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An alert has been issued in the Kapurthala district by the administration appealing to people in the Sultanpur Lodhi area to move to safer places in view of the further increase in water level in the Beas river following incessant rains, officials said.
{{/usCountry}}An alert has been issued in the Kapurthala district by the administration appealing to people in the Sultanpur Lodhi area to move to safer places in view of the further increase in water level in the Beas river following incessant rains, officials said.
{{/usCountry}}Several Punjab districts, including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Ferozepur, Fazilka, Sangrur, Mansa and Moga, have recorded rainfall far above normal this monsoon season.
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From August 25, these regions experienced nearly eight to nine times the average rainfall, exacerbating the flood situation in low-lying areas.
Schools closed in Punjab
Given the current weather situation, the Punjab government has extended holidays in all schools till September 3, Education minister Harjot Bains announced on X. Earlier, the schools were closed from August 27 to 30.
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Emergency services have been put on high alert, and district officials are monitoring the situation closely to respond quickly in case of worsening conditions.
Heavy rains in Ludiana
Ludhiana has already recorded more rainfall than the entire season last year. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city received 543 mm of rainfall till August 30, surpassing the 524 mm logged during June–September in 2024.
Also Read | Weather Bee: North India saw twice the rain of their wettest normal last week
On Saturday alone, the city recorded 6.2 mm of rain. This month’s total has climbed to 238 mm. No alert has been issued for Ludiana.
Punjab is facing floods with the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi rivers overflowing due to heavy rain in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.