In brief
Punjab has declared a state of emergency following severe flooding and heavy rains that have led to at least 30 deaths. The floods have submerged 1,400 villages, evacuating over 20,000 individuals and damaging extensive agricultural land, raising concerns about food security and rural livelihoods. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has indicated these are the worst floods the state has experienced since 1988, and assistance from the federal government is being sought to address the ongoing crisis.
At least 30 people have died and more than 354,000 have been affected by incessant heavy rains and floods in the north Indian state of Punjab.
Authorities have declared all of the state's 23 districts flood-hit, after rivers and reservoirs swelled to near-danger levels.
Some 20,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying and flood-affected areas, with hundreds of relief camps set up to provide shelter and essential facilities to the affected families.
Appealing to the country to 'stand by the state', Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann stated that these are the worst floods the state has seen since 1988.
Punjab, known as the 'food basket' of India, has suffered extensive crop damage across approximately 148,000 hectares of farmland now submerged under water. This raises immediate concerns for rural livelihoods, as a quarter of Punjab's 30 million residents rely on agriculture.
The floods in Punjab are attributed to the adverse interaction between monsoon currents and weather disturbances, leading to significant rainfall. In addition, similar flooding has been reported across the border in Pakistan's Punjab province, affecting around two million people.
In response to the crisis, multiple disaster response teams including the Indian Army, Air Force, and Navy are engaged in rescue operations, deploying helicopters and boats to aid communities in distress. As Punjab's Chief Minister sails through the affected districts, urgent aid from the federal government is being requested to manage the crisis.
