Web desk: India’s Punjab is struggling with its worst flooding in decades, with all 23 districts now officially declared disaster-hit under the Disaster Management Act, 2025.
Indian state government confirmed the decision on Tuesday as rivers continued to swell and more rain was forecast for the coming days.
3.55 lakh people affected, 30 dead, 19,600 evacuated in India
Officials reported that nearly 3.55 lakh people have been affected so far. At least 30 people have lost their lives, and around 19,600 residents have been moved from their homes.
More than 1,400 villages are underwater, and crops spread over 4 lakh acres have been destroyed. Relief efforts are underway, with 171 camps already set up to shelter over 5,000 people.
Rivers in India’s Punjab rise dangerously, dams near danger mark
River levels remain critical. The Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej are all flowing far above normal.
At India’s Ujh barrage on the Ravi, the discharge jumped from 7,474 cusecs in the morning to more than 52,000 by evening. The Beas also rose sharply, with flow increasing at Chakki bank from 1,910 to 8,400 cusecs.
The Pong Dam has crossed its danger mark at 1,391 feet, while the Bhakra Dam is just below its limit at 1,677 feet. At Harike, where the Beas and Sutlej meet, the flow was nearly 3 lakh cusecs by evening.
India releases more water into Sutlej
In another instance, Pakistan’s irrigation department sources said on Tuesday that India released an additional flow of water into the Sutlej River, estimated between 2,50,000 and 3,00,000 cusecs.
The discharge from India’s Pong and Bhakra dams was expected to enter Pakistan within the next 48 hours, according to officials.
Indian authorities conveyed information about the water release through their high commission in Islamabad, the sources added.
It is worth noting that the Sutlej River has been experiencing exceptionally high flood levels at Ganda Singh Wala Headworks for the past month.
