Chandigarh: Punjab continues to reel under severe flooding triggered by heavy rainfall in the upper catchments of the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers. Authorities have been forced to release large volumes of water from major reservoirs, leading to fresh inundations in several districts.
At Harike Headworks, inflows touched around 2.03 lakh cusecs on Monday evening, with 1.85 lakh cusecs released downstream. The surge has worsened the flood situation in Tarn Taran and Ferozepur, where many low-lying villages remain cut off. Further downstream, Fazilka is also bracing for rising waters as Sutlej outflows continue. On the international border, villages on both the Indian and Pakistani sides are submerged, with Pakistan’s Kasur district also affected.
The Beas river has breached embankments near Motla–Mehtabpur, flooding farmlands in Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, and Pathankot. While water levels have started to recede in some stretches, officials warn that the risk of further breaches persists. A central flood control room is operating from Jalandhar to coordinate relief and monitoring efforts.
In Patiala, rivers in the Ghaggar–Tangri–Markanda system are below danger marks as of Monday evening. However, with continued rainfall forecast, the administration has kept emergency teams on alert for the next 48 hours.
Indian authorities have also issued advance warnings to Pakistan about possible cross-border flooding due to high releases, beyond the scope of the Indus Water Treaty as India has put the treaty under “abeyance”.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has flagged intense convection over Punjab, issuing red alerts for heavy rainfall in districts such as Ludhiana, Sangrur, Barnala, and Mansa. An orange alert remains in effect for Punjab, Haryana, and Chandigarh for the next two days.
As a precaution, schools have been shut across flood-hit areas. Hoshiarpur has ordered closure of all schools on August 26 and 27, while Jalandhar and Kapurthala suspended classes for today. Pathankot schools remained closed due to rising levels in the Ujh and Ravi rivers. In Amritsar, orders were issued to shut schools in Ajnala-2 and Rayya-1 blocks, while in Gurdaspur two blocks in Dinanagar sub-division observed a holiday. Fazilka has announced closures in around 20 flood-prone villages, in some cases extending until August 28.
Officials warn that downstream effects of continued water releases from Pong, Bhakra, and Ranjit Sagar dams could worsen flooding in Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka over the next 24–48 hours. Tributaries like the Chakki Khad and Ujh also remain vulnerable to sudden rises after intense bursts of rain. District administrations across Punjab have urged residents to remain cautious and follow advisories closely as the state braces for another round of heavy rainfall.
