With continued rainfall predicted across Himachal Pradesh and Punjab, there seems to be no relief in sight for people living near the Beas and Sutlej rivers which are already flowing at dangerously high levels.
Flood conditions are expected to intensify in parts of Punjab that have already been hit the hardest. These include Tanda in Hoshiarpur, Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala, and several villages in the districts of Ferozepur, Fazilka, and Tarn Taran.
As water inflow into the Pong reservoir increased to over one lakh cusecs before easing, the Bhakra Beas Management Board released additional water. On Wednesday, around twelve thousand cusecs were discharged in two phases. By evening, the inflow stood at over seventy seven thousand cusecs, with about sixty six thousand being released through turbines and spillways. Nearly forty villages located along the Beas in Hoshiarpur and Kapurthala remained under five to six feet of water in low-lying areas.
The Bhakra Dam also discharged forty five thousand cusecs on Tuesday as its water level continued to rise. Authorities have said that the discharge is being managed carefully. Hoshiarpur Deputy Commissioner Ashika Jain stated there is no current flood threat and urged residents to remain calm.
At the Harike Headworks where the Beas and Sutlej rivers meet, inflow reached ninety five thousand cusecs on Tuesday. Officials said seventy five thousand cusecs were released downstream the next day, worsening the situation in the Harike Hathar region. Floodwaters have submerged thousands of acres of farmland across multiple villages in Tarn Taran and Ferozepur with water depths reaching up to ten feet in some areas.
Although embankments along the Sutlej remain intact, officials have warned that any additional rise in river flow could cause breaches and further flooding. Meanwhile, at the Hussainiwala Headworks, seventy five thousand cusecs of water were released which flooded more villages close to the border.
Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal visited the affected areas in Sultanpur Lodhi along with Member of Parliament Balbir Singh Seechewal and Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar Panchal. During his visit to Sangra village, the minister traveled by boat to inspect flood damage. Local farmers confronted him with complaints about the lack of flood preparation and delayed compensation from the previous year.
In response, the minister said that the Chief Minister is personally monitoring the relief work and assured complete compensation for damage and crop loss. He added that orders for special surveys have already been issued in the affected tehsils of Sultanpur and Bholath.
According to the minister, the protective embankments are currently safe and stable and the situation is being tracked continuously by government officials.
In Ferozepur, nearly sixty four villages have been affected by the flooding. Over eighty six hundred acres of farmland are under water in twenty five villages. Among the worst affected are Alewala, Ashike, Nihala Lavera, Tanabagga, Bandala, Kaleke Hithar, and several others.
Gurmej Singh, a former village head from Nihala Lavera, described the dire conditions. He said homes are damaged, people have lost work, and families are struggling to find food and fodder for their cattle.
District Commissioner Deepshikha Sharma visited the flood-hit areas and directed officials to supply green fodder and veterinary medicines. She also urged villagers to report weak spots in embankments and said medical camps and relief supplies have already reached some of the affected communities.
At Hussainiwala, floodwaters entered Pakistan and then bounced back into Indian territory after hitting embankments on the other side. This led to flooding of fields and fencing areas near Gatti Rajoke which is located about fourteen kilometers from Ferozepur. A Border Security Force outpost near Satpal was also impacted. BSF teams have increased both boat and foot patrols in the area.
Local farmer Balbir Singh said that each time the river rises, water hits Pakistan’s embankments and is pushed back into Indian villages. He warned that if the water level increases again, the defence drain could overflow just like it did last year.
Authorities have issued a fresh warning that any rise in the Sutlej could cause more flooding in the villages located near the international border.
To prevent further loss of learning in flood-affected areas, government schools in Ferozepur have started online classes from Thursday. Residents from villages like Nihala Lavera, Dheera Ghara, and Alewala had been requesting this move, worried that nearly four hundred students might fall behind due to blocked access to schools.
DC Deepshikha Sharma confirmed that online learning would begin immediately and senior students would be shifted to nearby schools if needed. She instructed the education officer to implement the plan without delay to ensure board exam students can continue their studies.
