Chandigarh: Punjab is bracing for heavy rainfall today as the Meteorological Department issued an orange alert for nine districts and a yellow alert for the rest of the state. Continuous downpours in neighboring Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir over the past few days have already begun impacting water levels in Punjab’s rivers and dams, raising concerns of flooding in several low-lying areas.
Officials confirmed that the Ravi and Beas rivers are in spate, with the Ranjit Sagar Dam releasing excess water. The situation has been particularly severe in Pathankot and Gurdaspur, where villages near Makora Patan have seen road connectivity cut off, forcing residents to rely on boats for essential movement.
In response to the situation, schools were ordered closed in the districts of Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Pathankot, and Gurdaspur, as well as in Ajnala and Raiya blocks of Amritsar. In Fazilka, schools in nearly 20 flood-affected villages will remain shut until further notice.
Meanwhile, the release of water from Bhakra Dam has led to a rise in the Sutlej River, though authorities maintain that water levels remain within safe limits. The downstream effect, however, is being felt in Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Fazilka, where fields and homes near the embankments are experiencing waterlogging.
Local residents reported that daily life has been severely disrupted since August 11. “A journey that normally takes two minutes now takes an hour in boats. We are forced to step out again and again just to collect food and rations,” one resident said.
Rain Forecast and Temperature Trends
According to the Met Department, orange alert districts include Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Tarn Taran, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Rupnagar, Fatehgarh Sahib, and Patiala, while all other districts remain under a yellow alert. On Tuesday, the rain warning will be limited to Pathankot and Gurdaspur, before conditions ease mid-week. However, a fresh Western Disturbance is expected to become active from August 29, likely bringing another round of rain to the northern districts.
Rainfall data from Monday showed significant precipitation across the state, with 55.5 mm in Ferozepur, 37 mm in Pathankot, 20 mm in Hoshiarpur, 20.6 mm in Amritsar, 10.5 mm in Mohali, 7.2 mm in Ludhiana, and 5.5 mm in Rupnagar. Despite the showers, the average maximum temperature rose by 1.2 degrees, though it still remained below seasonal norms. Amritsar recorded 25.4°C, Ludhiana 25°C, Patiala 30°C, Pathankot 24°C, Bathinda 28.5°C, and Mohali 30.5°C.
Authorities have urged residents in vulnerable regions to remain cautious and follow safety advisories, as further rainfall could worsen the flood-like situation in several river-adjacent districts.
