The flood situation in Punjab has deteriorated sharply, leaving eight districts severely affected as of Thursday, August 28. Torrential rains, dam releases, and breaches in embankments have submerged vast areas, prompting mass evacuations and large-scale rescue operations by state and central agencies.

Officials have confirmed that at least three people have died in rain-related incidents. In a dramatic rescue near Teja Rohella village in Fazilka, four youngsters were swept towards the Zero Line and clung to a eucalyptus tree to avoid drifting into Pakistan. NDRF teams pulled them to safety after villagers raised an alarm.

Nearly 400 students and 40 staff members from Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Gurdaspur were also evacuated when floodwaters entered the school campus. Army and NDRF personnel used boats to rescue them and move them to safe zones.

Punjab recorded 243% excess rainfall in the past 24 hours, while Haryana and Himachal Pradesh logged 247% and 118% respectively. The swollen Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers have inundated farmlands and villages, with Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur, and Amritsar among the worst affected. Over 518 villages are under water, with Gurdaspur and Kapurthala bearing the maximum brunt.

The Dhussi Bandh on the Ravi river breached at three points in the Ramdass area of Amritsar, submerging 40 villages. Authorities have issued evacuation alerts as water levels continue to rise. Water storage levels at Pong and Ranjit Sagar dams have already crossed maximum capacity, and Bhakra dam is just nine feet short of full. Officials warn that further heavy inflows could worsen flooding in low-lying areas.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced that his official helicopter has been deployed for rescue efforts. “The people who gave our party 92 seats and gave me the services of the helicopter, I am handing it over to them,” he said.

In Pathankot, Army pilots carried out a high-risk mission by landing a helicopter on a collapsing building to rescue civilians and CRPF personnel. The Indian Air Force evacuated 46 stranded residents and air-dropped 750 kilograms of relief materials. Meanwhile, BSF teams used boats and helicopters to save dozens of villagers in Ferozepur and Gurdaspur. Soldiers carried children on their shoulders through floodwaters, while a sick elderly man in Fazilka was shifted to a hospital.

The Punjab Education Department reported that more than 300 government schools have been affected across districts. Furniture and infrastructure have likely suffered significant damage, and safety inspections will be conducted before classes resume.