Punjab floods kill 43, leave 3.8 lakh affected; Sutlej threatens Ludhiana villages

Ludhiana: The Ludhiana district administration has sounded a high alert after an embankment in the eastern part of the district came under heavy pressure due to the strong flow of water from the Sutlej river.

Officials have warned that if the bundh weakens further, several villages, including Sasrali, Boont, Rawat, Hawas, Seera, Boothgarh, Mangli Tanda, Dheri, Khawajke, Khassi Khurd, Mangli Kadar, Mattewara, Mangat and Meharban may face flooding.

Residents living in low-lying and single-storey houses have been asked to remain on upper floors where possible or temporarily shift to safer shelters. Relief centres have been established at Satsang Ghars on Rahon, Chandigarh and Tibba roads, at Kailash Nagar, and in Khassi Kalan, Bhukhri, and Mattewara schools and mandis. The administration has urged people to safeguard important documents in waterproof bags, ensure that the elderly, children and the sick are moved to safety first, and remain alert while cooperating with rescue teams. A flood control room has been set up with helpline number 0161-2433100, while emergency services are available on 112.

“People’s cooperation is vital at this time. Protecting lives is our top priority,” the district administration said in a statement.

Punjab is reeling under its worst floods in decades, triggered by the overflowing Sutlej, Beas, Ravi and Ghaggar rivers, coupled with torrential rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir and controlled releases from the Bhakhra, Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams.

According to the state government, 1,902 villages across 23 districts have been affected and 3.84 lakh people are impacted. Nearly 20,972 people have been evacuated while crops on 1.71 lakh hectares have been destroyed. The death toll has risen to 43 with the highest casualties reported in Hoshiarpur with seven deaths, followed by six in Pathankot, five each in Barnala and Amritsar, and four each in Ludhiana and Bathinda. Three people remain missing in Pathankot.

Among the worst-affected districts are Gurdaspur, where 1.45 lakh people have been hit, Amritsar with over 1.17 lakh affected, Ferozepur with 39,076 and Fazilka with more than 21,500.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has deputed gazetted officers to every flood-hit village to ensure direct coordination and timely relief. He has also ordered a special girdawari to assess damage to crops, homes and infrastructure. Rescue and relief operations are being carried out on a war footing by the Army, Air Force, BSF, NDRF and several NGOs.

The Chandigarh-based India Meteorological Department has offered a glimmer of hope, predicting a decrease in rainfall in Punjab till September 8, though light to moderate showers have not been ruled out. Meanwhile, the state government has ordered the closure of all educational institutions until September 7 as a precautionary measure.