NEW DELHI: Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian on Saturday said that floods continue to wreak havoc in the state, with 48 more villages, 2,691 people and 2,131 hectares of crops affected in the past 24 hours.
So far, 1,996 villages across 22 districts have been impacted, affecting nearly 3.87 lakh people.
Rising Human Toll
The floods claimed three more lives in Amritsar and Rupnagar within the last 24 hours, raising the total death toll to 46 across 14 districts, while three people remain missing in Pathankot.
Mass Evacuations and Relief Camps
Mundian said 925 more people were evacuated in the last 24 hours, taking the total number of rescued citizens to 22,854. The highest evacuations have been reported from Gurdaspur (5,581), Fazilka (4,202), Ferozepur (3,888), Amritsar (3,260), Hoshiarpur (1,616), Pathankot (1,139) and Kapurthala (1,428).
Currently, 139 relief camps are operational, sheltering 6,121 affected citizens. In total, 219 camps have been established since the onset of the floods. These include:
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Fazilka: 14 camps sheltering 2,588 people
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Barnala: 49 camps with 527 people
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Hoshiarpur: 4 camps with 921 people
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Rupnagar: 5 camps with 250 people
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Moga: 3 camps with 155 people
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Mansa: 2 camps with 89 people
Agriculture Loss Mounts
The minister said crop damage has now crossed 1.74 lakh hectares across 18 districts. The worst-hit regions include:
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Gurdaspur – 40,169 hectares
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Kapurthala – 17,574 hectares
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Fazilka – 18,649 hectares
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Ferozepur – 17,257 hectares
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Tarn Taran – 12,828 hectares
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Hoshiarpur – 8,322 hectares
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Sangrur – 6,560 hectares
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SAS Nagar – 2,000 hectares
Armed Forces, NDRF and SDRF Step In
Acknowledging the role of security forces, Mundian said 23 NDRF teams are active in Amritsar, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Patiala, Ludhiana, Pathankot and Rupnagar, while 2 SDRF teams are working in Kapurthala.
In addition, 27 Army columns, 7 Engineer Task Forces, and 9 helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Army have been deployed. The BSF is assisting in Ferozepur, while 158 boats and a state helicopter are part of the rescue operations.
On Ground Support
Mundian also distributed essential dry rations among flood-affected families in Sasrali village of Ludhiana district, assuring people that the government remains committed to their safety and rehabilitation.
