New Delhi: Punjab is grappling with its worst floods in decades, with the death toll rising to 51 as of Tuesday. The relentless monsoon rains over the past week have caused rivers to overflow and submerged large parts of the state, leading to widespread devastation.
Thousands of families have been affected, with over 1.75 lakh hectares of farmland damaged across 18 districts. Gurdaspur, Fazilka, and Ferozepur are among the worst hit, with crops nearing harvest wiped out overnight. Nearly 3.87 lakh people have been displaced, and almost 2,000 villages have been inundated. The state government has declared Punjab a disaster-affected area and launched extensive relief operations to assist those impacted.
In response to the escalating crisis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Punjab and Himachal Pradesh today to review the flood situation and assess the relief efforts. He is expected to reach Kangra in Himachal Pradesh around 1:30 pm, where he will hold a high-level review meeting with officials and meet flood-affected families as well as emergency response teams.
Later in the day, PM Modi will conduct an aerial survey of the flood-hit areas in Punjab around 3 pm and visit Gurdaspur at approximately 4:15 pm to meet officials and review the ground situation.
With the growing scale of destruction, both Punjab and Himachal Pradesh have urged the central government to provide substantial financial assistance. Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal has demanded at least ₹25,000 crore in immediate compensation for damages, along with the release of ₹60,000 crore in pending dues. Preliminary estimates suggest that nearly 4 lakh acres of crops have been destroyed, while embankments and infrastructure have sustained significant damage.
Punjab’s Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has earlier written to the Prime Minister seeking the release of state funds reportedly withheld by the central government, including ₹50,000 crore in revenue losses and ₹8,000 crore from development funds.
In Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has expressed hope that a special relief package will be announced, as the state faces damages estimated at ₹5,000 crore and rising.
The floods in Himachal Pradesh have resulted in the deaths of 370 people, including 205 from rain-related disasters such as landslides and flash floods. Additionally, 165 fatalities have been reported from road accidents during the ongoing monsoon season.
Infrastructure has suffered heavily, with thousands of roads, water supply schemes, and electricity transformers damaged. Losses to public and private property have crossed ₹4,000 crore. Hundreds of livestock and poultry have also perished.
Punjab’s flood-hit regions have seen extensive rescue operations. Over 22,000 people have been evacuated from submerged villages with the assistance of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), the Indian Army, and the Border Security Force (BSF). More than 200 relief camps have been set up to provide shelter and basic necessities to displaced families.
Authorities are working round the clock to restore normalcy and provide assistance to those affected by the unprecedented flooding, while awaiting further support from the central government during the Prime Minister’s visit.
