Heavy Floods Hit Punjab, Ludhiana Village Battles Water Crisis
Punjab is facing its worst flood situation since 1988, with heavy rains causing chaos across many districts. In Ludhiana district, several villages are overwhelmed as floodwaters entered villages and destroyed hundreds of acres of farmland. The main cause? A breach in the Dhussi bundh near Sahnewal town along the Sutlej River.
Despite these challenges, officials say they managed to control the situation. A temporary “ring bundh” — a makeshift protective barrier — was built to prevent the floodwaters from spreading further. An official explained, “If the Bhakra Dam releases more water, it could cause more problems. But for now, the ring bundh is holding the water back.”
To keep villagers safe, the district administration has moved residents away from high-risk areas. More than 1,500 personnel, including teams from the Indian Army, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), NGOs, and local villagers, are working together to strengthen flood defenses. They are filling earth bags and reinforcing embankments to protect homes and fields from the rising waters.
Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner Himanshu Jain has been closely monitoring the situation, especially the work on the temporary ring bundh in Sasrali—a critical area affected by the flood. He urged residents not to panic after false reports about a breach circulated on social media. He clarified that there has been no breach so far in the district.
The rising water levels in the Sutlej River threaten to flood more villages, especially in Sahnewal’s Sasrali Colony. Water has started entering the fields, creating a very critical situation for local residents.
Support for flood relief efforts is coming from all sides. The Punjab BJP and local youth groups have joined hands with authorities to strengthen the embankments. Pritpal Singh Baliawal, a BJP spokesperson from Sahnewal, raised concerns about the weak condition of the embankments but assured that everyone is working hard to prevent disaster.
State officials say the rain is easing in the hilly areas and across Punjab, which brings some relief. Since August 1, at least 43 lives have been lost in 14 districts due to floods, and hundreds of people have been evacuated from marooned areas. Until now, over 21,929 residents have been evacuated from various districts, including Gurdaspur, Ferozepur, Fazilka, and Amritsar.
Thankfully, there have been no new fatalities reported in the past 24 hours, and the situation is gradually improving. Still, some farmland remains submerged, and authorities continue to keep a close eye on the rising waters to prevent any further damage.
Stay tuned for updates on Punjab floods and relief efforts as the state works to recover from this severe natural disaster.
