Punjab Floods: Army Leads Rescue Efforts as Death Toll Rises to 48, PM Modi to Visit on Sept 9

The Indian Army is carrying out rescue and relief operations on a war footing in flood-hit Punjab, where 48 people have died, thousands have been displaced, and crops across 1.76 lakh hectares have been damaged.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the state on Tuesday, September 9, to review the situation.

Relief work is being jointly conducted by the Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Border Security Force (BSF), Punjab Police, and district authorities. Locals, NGOs, and several public figures have also stepped in to assist.

Punjab Floods | Key Updates

• PM visit: BJP’s state unit chief Sunil Jakhar confirmed Modi’s visit on Tuesday. CM Bhagwant Mann, recently hospitalised for exhaustion, has been monitoring relief operations.

• Worst in decades: Heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and J&K has swollen Punjab’s Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, causing one of the state’s worst flood disasters in decades. While inflows in some rivers and dams have reduced slightly, the situation remains grim.

• Casualties & crop loss: The official death toll stands at 48. Standing crops on nearly 1.76 lakh hectares have been destroyed.

• Schools to reopen: Education Minister Harjot Bains said schools and colleges will reopen from September 8. Government schools will resume classes from September 9, while private schools may reopen a day earlier.

• Dam levels: The Pong dam’s water level fell slightly to 1,392.20 ft but remains above its limit of 1,390 ft. The Bhakra dam stood at 1,677.98 ft, with officials monitoring inflows and outflows closely.