Kapurthala — Rising waters of the Beas River have inundated large parts of Kapurthala’s Mand area, destroying thousands of acres of paddy fields and causing widespread alarm among villagers.
The flooding worsened after a temporary dam at Bhaini Bahadur in Sultanpur Lodhi constituency gave way under mounting water pressure. The breach allowed floodwaters to surge into nearby villages, submerging homes and farmland.
Officials say the situation has been aggravated by heavy rainfall and cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir, which have swollen the Pong Dam. The dam’s excess water release has accelerated the flooding, leaving Sultanpur Lodhi among the worst-affected regions in the district.
Villages such as Mand Mohammadabad, Baupur, Sangra, Pasan Kadim, and Shadullapur are underwater. Farmers’ efforts to protect their crops with makeshift embankments have failed, with the floodwaters sweeping away barriers and damaging houses, farm equipment, and livestock.
Residents allege that no evacuation or relief operations have been initiated so far. Many farmers are calling for immediate compensation for crop losses and urgent measures to prevent further damage as water levels continue to rise.