Heavy rain forecasts have led the Punjab government to declare that all schools in the state will remain shut from August 27 to 30. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the decision after continuous downpours left several villages submerged and rivers overflowing.
For the past two days, uninterrupted rain has caused severe waterlogging across multiple districts. The situation has worsened as the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, along with seasonal streams, have risen sharply due to rainfall in Punjab as well as in the catchment areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
The release of additional water from the Pong and Bhakra dams has further complicated matters, leaving farmland and villages across large stretches under water. Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, and Hoshiarpur districts are among the hardest hit.
In response, the state government has ordered the closure of all government and private schools, including primary, secondary, and senior secondary classes, until August 30.