Punjab Battles Worst Floods Since 1988: Impact To Death Toll—Here's What We Know So Far

Punjab is reeling through devastating floods due to the swollen Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers and seasonal rivulets, following heavy rainfall in their catchment areas across Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.

As per reports, the state is facing its worst floods since 1988. Over 1,400 villages have submerged and rough estimates suggest the scale of agricultural damage could be approximately three lakh acres of paddy and other crops submerged just before harvest.

Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Jalandhar and Rupnagar (Ropar) are the worst-hit districts.

The floods that hit the region in 1988 claimed more than 1,400 lives in the north, including at least 685 in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal. In Punjab alone, 535 people died, as per reports.

The incessant rains in that state had started in March and the worst came in September when the three overflowing rivers, Sutlej, Ravi and Beas, wreaked havoc, according to an Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) report.

From Gurdaspur to Ludhiana, Jalandhar to Sangrur, almost the entire state was flooded. Five years later, in 1993, Punjab again faced devastating floods, claiming over 300 lives and 6,200 cattle. The worst affected areas were Amritsar, Gurdaspur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Hoshiarpur, Ferozepur, and Sangrur, among others, as per an Indian Express report.

As per reports, Punjab recorded 253.7 mm of rainfall in August, marking a 74% excess over the long-term normal of 146.2 mm. Among districts, Gurdaspur and Pathankot have received the most rains.

• Gurdaspur: 577.5 mm, 181% above normal

• Pathankot: 944.2 mm, 152% above normal

• Tarn Taran: 208 mm, 139% above normal

• Ferozepur: 170.6 mm, 129% above normal

• Fazilka: 146.8 mm, 115% above normal

Over 1,400 villages have submerged and the death toll has risen to 30 confirmed fatalities, with the highest number in Pathankot, reports said. Nearly 20,000 people have so far been evacuated from the flood-hit areas.

At least 12 districts were under the impact of the floods, according to a bulletin issued by the state authorities on the situation from Aug. 1 till Sept. 1, impacting more than 3.5 lakh people.

According to the bulletin issued on Tuesday, all 23 districts of the state have been declared as hit by the floods. Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann separately visited some of the affected areas on Tuesday.

He sought the release of Punjab's Rs 60,000 crore 'pending' funds from the Centre, saying he is demanding the state's 'rights' and not 'begging' for it in the wake of floods in the region.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to CM Mann immediately after returning to Delhi from China on Monday to enquire about the flood situation in the state and assured him of all help.