Punjab is battling one of its worst floods in recent years, with 29 lives lost and more than 15,600 people evacuated across 12 districts after incessant rains triggered large-scale devastation. The deluge
has displaced lakhs, destroyed crops, and caused severe damage to property, infrastructure, and livestock.
According to Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister S. Hardeep Singh Mundian, nearly 2.56 lakh people have been affected in 1,044 villages, with Gurdaspur emerging as the worst-hit district where 1.45 lakh residents are impacted. Other severely affected districts include Amritsar, Ferozepur, and Fazilka.
So far, 15,688 residents have been shifted to safety, the largest numbers from Gurdaspur (5,549), Ferozepur (3,321), Fazilka (2,049), Amritsar (1,700), Pathankot (1,139), and Hoshiarpur (1,052). The state has set up 129 relief camps housing 7,144 people, with Ferozepur sheltering the maximum.
Rescue operations are being led by the NDRF, which has deployed 20 teams, while the Army, Navy, and Air Force have mobilised 10 columns with engineer units. Over 35 helicopters and 114 boats are engaged in evacuations, supported by the BSF in border districts.
Between August 1 and September 1, Pathankot recorded six deaths, while Amritsar, Barnala, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, and Mansa reported three each. Casualties have also been reported from Bathinda, Gurdaspur, Patiala, Rupnagar, SAS Nagar, and Sangrur. Three people remain missing in Pathankot.
The state’s agrarian economy has been hit hard, with over 94,000 hectares of crops damaged. Amritsar, Mansa, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, and Ferozepur are among the worst-affected districts.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visited flood-hit Miani village on Monday, interacting with displaced families at a relief camp. Minister Mundian said medical teams are active and relief distribution is underway, adding that the full extent of losses will be assessed once waters recede. He assured that the government is committed to both immediate relief and long-term rehabilitation.
