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.
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. 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. 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.
