The state of Punjab is experiencing a severe rain alert situation as the India Meteorological Department (IMD) issues continuous warnings for heavy rainfall. Several rivers have breached danger levels, triggering floods alert across multiple districts.
Punjab: Weather Warnings and Forecast
According to the IMD alert for Punjab, the meteorological department has issued a red alert for five districts including Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Barnala, Sangrur, and Mansa, with extremely heavy rainfall expected to continue. The Punjab weather update indicates that heavy to very heavy rainfall will persist across northwestern Punjab until August 29, with scattered heavy showers likely over the next five days. The state recorded a staggering 1,643% excess rainfall in just 24 hours, receiving 54mm of precipitation from Monday to Tuesday morning.
Critical Dam and River Situation
The flood situation has turned alarming as major dams including Bhakra, Pong, Ranjit Sagar, and Shahpur Kandi have surged close to or above their designed thresholds. The Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams have already crossed their maximum water levels, while Bhakra Dam is only a few feet away from the danger mark. The Ravi River is experiencing unprecedented water flow of 4.60 lakh cusecs, causing flooding in Gurdaspur, Pathankot, and Amritsar districts. The Sutlej River recorded an inflow of 1.12 lakh cusecs, with the Gidderpindi-Yousufpur stretch seeing 57,900 cusecs flow, putting 35,000 acres of farmland at risk.
Punjab Districts Under High Alert
Seven districts are currently facing the most severe impact from Punjab floods: Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Fazilka, and Ferozepur. The Harike-Hussainiwala sector faces severe flooding risks if current inflow levels continue, while the Ropar-Phillaur belt on the Sutlej is already experiencing rising water levels. Multiple villages have been inundated, including areas around Taas village in Pathankot where rescue operations using helicopters are ongoing.
Educational Institution Closures in Punjab
In response to the weather alert in Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced the closure of all primary, secondary, and senior secondary government and private schools across the state from August 27 to 30. This decision affects educational institutions statewide as a precautionary measure to ensure student safety amid continuing heavy rainfall forecasts.
Emergency Response and Infrastructure Impact
The state government has established a central flood control center in Jalandhar under Minister Aman Arora's supervision to coordinate relief efforts. Army, BSF, NDRF, and SDRF teams are actively conducting rescue operations, including helicopter evacuations in severely affected areas. Three abandoned buildings collapsed in Amritsar, and an 11-year-old boy was electrocuted in Tapa town of Barnala district.
Emergency Helpline Services
For flood-related assistance, the Punjab government has activated multiple helpline numbers. The state-level flood control room can be reached at 0181-2240064. District-specific helplines include Amritsar's flood control number 0183-2229125 and the unified emergency number 112 for all districts. Additional emergency services include Police (100), Ambulance (108), and Fire Service (101).
The Punjab weather forecast indicates that while rainfall intensity may reduce slightly after August 29, scattered heavy showers will likely continue, requiring sustained vigilance and emergency preparedness across all affected regions.