Severe Flood Situation in 12 Districts of Punjab: 300,000 People migrated, 5 Key Reasons Behind the Devastation

Severe floods have affected several parts of northern India, with the situation in Punjab becoming increasingly alarming over the past few days. While Pakistan often blames India for flooding, it’s essential to ask: why does Indian Punjab experience such floods?

Rivers like Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, and Ghaggar are currently flowing above danger levels, causing widespread chaos. As a result, over 1,000 villages in Punjab have been impacted. The situation is extremely grim, with disaster management teams working around the clock, evacuating affected residents to safer locations.

PM Modi Speaks to CM Bhagwant Mann

Following his return from the SCO summit in China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi immediately contacted Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to get updates on the flood situation.

Major Rivers Overflowing

Out of Punjab’s 23 districts, 12 are severely affected by floods. Reports suggest that at least 30 people have lost their lives so far. An estimated 1.5 million people have been affected, and nearly 300,000 have been relocated to safe zones. The floods have also severely impacted agriculture, damaging around 300,000 acres of farmland and destroying major crops such as paddy, cotton, and maize.

Record-Breaking Rainfall

The Meteorological Department has issued a red alert for Punjab, indicating extremely heavy rainfall. This means that immediate relief from the flood situation is unlikely. On Tuesday, September 2nd, CM Bhagwant Mann visited flood-affected areas for inspection. When asked about the disaster, he said, “What can we do against nature?” While it's true that natural disasters can overwhelm all efforts, does that mean the people of Punjab should be left to suffer?

Third Major Flood in Six Years

This marks the third major flood in Punjab in the past six years. Previously, floods occurred in 2023 and 2019. In 2023, over 1,500 villages were affected, and around 221,000 hectares of standing crops were destroyed. In 2019, more than 300 villages were impacted, leading to the devastation of thousands of hectares of farmland.

Lack of Flood Preparedness

Traditionally, a high-level meeting is held in Punjab every February to prepare for the monsoon and possible floods. However, this year, the meeting was postponed to June. In February, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was focused entirely on the Delhi elections, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also prioritizing his party’s campaign efforts.

Bhakra-Nangal Dam Management Issues

In May, the Punjab government became entangled in debates over whether and how much water should be released from the Bhakra-Nangal Dam to Haryana and Rajasthan. As a result, water storage in the dam reached critical levels. The state government was caught up in negotiations with the Bhakra Beas Management Board and the Haryana government, leaving little room for flood preparedness. When heavy monsoon rains arrived and water surged from the mountains, authorities were forced to release excess water from the Ranjit Sagar, Pong, and Bhakra-Nangal Dams. This increased water discharge is also considered a major contributing factor to the flooding in Punjab.