New Delhi / Chandigarh: Heavy monsoon rains and overflowing rivers have triggered widespread flooding across northern India, leaving hundreds of thousands displaced and causing significant damage to homes, infrastructure, and crops. In Punjab, the SAS Nagar administration issued a flood warning Friday morning after water discharge in the Ghaggar River crossed 70,000 cusecs at 8 a.m., urging residents of nine villages along the Dera Bassi subdivision embankments to stay alert and be ready to move to safer ground.
The affected villages include Tiwana, Khajoor Mandi, Sadhanpur, Sarsini, Alamgir, Dangdhera, Mubarikpur, Mirpur, and Bakarpur. Authorities linked the surge to heavy rainfall in the catchment area and the opening of Sukhna Lake gates. Residents were advised to avoid riverbanks, move livestock to higher ground, keep essential documents and medicines accessible, and assist the elderly and children during any evacuation. The administration has also urged people to rely on official updates and avoid attempting crossings at inundated causeways.
The region’s vulnerability was highlighted by repeated closures at local choke points such as the Mubarikpur causeway, where high flows have previously caused water to enter homes. Officials noted that embankment strengthening near Tiwana after last year’s floods has held up during recent high flows, though erosion-prone stretches continue to be monitored. Stone revetments and studs have been installed along critical stretches to help mitigate further damage.
Beyond Punjab, Himachal Pradesh has faced landslides and road blockages due to heavy rain. The Chandigarh-Manali highway was blocked near Banala in Mandi district shortly after reopening, and over 500 roads across the state remain closed. In Chamba, the Ravi River’s flooding destroyed seven houses in Bharmour, while around 3,000 pilgrims remain stranded on the Manimahesh trek as rescue operations continue.
Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi district also experienced flash floods earlier this month, resulting in at least five deaths and leaving dozens missing. The disaster was reportedly triggered by a cloudburst or glacial lake outburst flood, complicating relief efforts due to the region’s difficult terrain.
Across the border in eastern Pakistan, rivers including the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab have overflowed, affecting more than 1.2 million people and displacing nearly 250,000. At least 15 deaths have been reported in Gujranwala and surrounding areas, and over 1,400 villages have been inundated. Authorities have established hundreds of relief and medical camps, but the scale of the disaster has overwhelmed local infrastructure. Pakistan’s officials have accused India of releasing large volumes of water without warning, which compounded the floods’ impact.
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