Punjab has been declared a disaster-affected state by the government as, to date, 30 people have died across the state and 3.55 lakh people have been affected in 1,400 villages.
Additionally, 19,500 persons have been evacuated. Around 3.75 lakh acres of farmland have been submerged under floodwaters, leading to devastating crop losses just weeks ahead of harvesting, and there has also been widespread loss of livestock.
Sources said that Punjab Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, who is also the Chairman of the State Executive Committee constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2025, has declared all 23 districts of the state as flood-affected. He has authorized district commissioners to issue all requisite orders under Section 34 of the Act in the event of a threatening disaster situation, empowering them to act independently and be prepared for emergency.
All District Disaster Management Authorities (DDMAs) have been asked to take prompt and adequate measures to provide relief to the affected population.
The Public Works, Water Resources, and Power Departments have been instructed to start repairs of their infrastructure on a war-footing. All departments have been told to strictly adhere to their designated emergency support functions and take necessary actions to ensure a timely and effective emergency response, including the presence of personnel on duty as assigned.
Meanwhile, telecom operators have been instructed to ensure mobile and landline connectivity, while officers have been directed to ensure smooth movement of people and essential services in their respective areas.
The state government has ordered the closure of all educational institutions until September 7. The directive applies to all government, aided, recognised, and private schools, colleges, universities, and polytechnics throughout the state.
Sources said the decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to ensure the safety of students, faculty, and staff amid rising water levels and ongoing relief efforts.
The water level at Bhakra Dam has reached nearly 1,678 feet, against the maximum level of 1,680 feet, just two feet below the danger level. The inflow was 86,822 cusecs and the outflow 65,042 cusecs.
The evacuation of residents of several Bela villages, including Harsa Bela, Bela Ramgarh, Sensowal, Singhpura, and others in Ropar district, has been started by the Ropar district administration as many have already lost road connectivity. The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) is releasing 75,000 cusecs of water into the Sutlej due to high inflows into the dam.
At Pong Dam, the water level is around 1,393 feet, above the danger level of 1,390 feet. Meanwhile, the discharge in the Sutlej river from Harike and Hussainiwala is currently categorized as a high flood level.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued red alert warnings for several districts across Punjab, including Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Nawanshahr, Rupnagar, Moga, Ludhiana, Barnala, and Sangrur.