Punjab have been experiencing immense flooding, characterised by officials as the worst flooding in history, after unpredicted monsoon rains has caused the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers to reach “super flood” levels. At least 33 people are missing, and more than two million have been affected, with over 750,000 people evacuated from submerged areas in what authorities has described as the province’s largest-ever rescue operation. Over 2,200 settlements are under water, and nearly half a million animals have been relocated to higher lands. Relief camps have been set up to give displaced families with basic needs like shelter, food, and medical care, but the magnitude of destruction is increasing rapidly.
The recent massive floods hitting Punjab’s farming heartland have played a significant role in destructing homes, crops, and crucial infrastructure of the region. The Rescue teams are fighting severe rains and rising water levels to rescue families who are still stuck and desperate for evacuation in isolated areas. Officials are concerned hence they have already warned that health risks are increasing rapidly, with heavy water heightening the danger of waterborne diseases and damaging the supply routes raises concerns for food shortages. The relief camps are highly overcrowded as more and more displaced families have been arriving in huge numbers daily. With rivers still flowing with high speeds while more rain is on the way, the authorities have been requesting people in low-lying areas to evacuate as soon as possible to avert further catastrophe.
