Punjab floods: With bags, food and bare hands, for volunteers it's a race against rising waters

Severe flooding in Punjab’s border districts has left over 100 villages submerged, with thousands displaced and massive damage to homes and crops.

The worst-hit areas include Ferozepur and Fazilka, where the overflowing Sutlej river continues to pose a grave threat.

In Ferozepur’s Habib Ke village, over 2,000 volunteers —joined by army engineers and drainage officials—have been working round the clock for four days, using sandbags, ropes, and bare hands to prevent a critical embankment from collapsing.

"The real heroes are the people who come with bags, food and bare hands. Their spirit is keeping the bandh alive," said contractor Ratan Singh Saini tells PTI.

Crisis deepens as water levels surge

The situation worsened after 3.3 lakh cusecs of water—40,000 cusecs more than last year’s peak—was released from Harike Headworks. Combined with heavy rains, cloudbursts, and water releases from Bhakra and Pong dams, this led to the breaching of the RG embankment near Manu Machhi village in Zira’s Makhu sub-division.

Floodwaters have inundated several villages, including Chak Manu Machhi, Jamaliwala, Gatta Dallar and Tibi, destroying hundreds of acres of standing crops. Though timely evacuations prevented major casualties, the material loss has been extensive.

Displacement

Ferozepur: 111 villages affected, 39,076 people impacted, 3,495 displaced

Fazilka: 77 villages affected, 21,562 people impacted, 2,422 displaced

In Hamad Chak, 58-year-old daily wager Harmeesh Singh stood beside the remains of his collapsed house. “I built this with years of hard labour. Now it’s gone,” he said, echoing the grief of many others across flood-hit villages like Rukne Wala and Gatta Badshah.

Despite flooded fields, BSF jawans continue patrolling the Indo-Pak border fence to maintain national security.

Rescue & relief operations underway

Relief efforts are being led by the Army, NDRF, BSF, Punjab Police, and district authorities.

In Fazilka, 12 relief camps are operational with 1,498 people sheltered, and over 2,422 evacuated, according to Deputy Commissioner Amarpreet Kaur Sandhu.

Ferozepur DC Deepshikha Sharma reported 3,400 people rescued and shifted to safer areas.

Food, shelter, and medical support are being provided at the camps.

Statewide damage

This is Punjab’s worst flooding since 1988.

Death toll: 37

Crop damage: 1.75 lakh hectares across all 23 districts

PTI inputs