The Punjab floods, which ravaged the entire state between 1 August and 1 September 2025, claimed 29 lives. Over 2.56 lakh residents were displaced. The worst floods in years have submerged agricultural land and affected 1,000 villages spread across 12 districts, according to official government data.
Gurdaspur, the district most affected by Punjab’s floods, has 1.45 lakh residents. Amritsar is next with 35,000 residents affected, and Firozpur/Fazika together account for 45,000 more people.
Pathankot recorded six fatalities, the most of any district. Amritsar reported three flood-related deaths. Ludhiana and Barnala also recorded three. Patiala and Bathinda both had one.
Thousands of people have been left homeless in the affected areas. Gurdaspur led the way with 5,549 people rescued by emergency evacuation operations. Ferozepur, Fazika, and Amritsar combined saw 5,370 people evacuated.
The impact of floods in Punjab can be seen at the village level. One thousand forty-three submerged villages were found across the affected districts. Gurdaspur was the worst-affected district with 321 submerged villages. Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Amritsar, Barnala, and Amritsar were also heavily affected.
The floods have caused severe damage to Punjab’s agriculture, which is its economic foundation. The State Revenue Minister stated that across the state, there are 94,061 ha of affected agricultural land. This threatens Punjab’s position as India’s main food basket.
Amritsar leads the way in crop damage assessments with over 23,000 acres of damaged farmland. Mansa is next with 17,005 ha, Kapurthala has 14,934 ha, and Tarn Taran has 11,883 ha of crop damage. The worst hit crops are paddy fields, which are crucial to the kharif harvest. This raises concerns over food shortages.
Punjab has suffered some of its most destructive flooding in the last few decades. The floodwaters in Punjab have caused destruction far beyond the immediate deaths, with devastating effects on livelihoods, infrastructure, and agriculture.
Teams of emergency response workers continue to work around the clock to help affected people. The government has initiated damage assessment procedures to assess compensation for affected farmers and flood victims.
The recovery efforts are hampered by the fact that many areas have been rendered inaccessible because of standing water. Punjab’s extensive damage to agriculture could affect food production for years. The state contributes a lot of grain reserves in India.
Experts in weather blame the flooding on unprecedented rain patterns, which overwhelmed drainage systems and rivers across Punjab.
Punjab State Government Emergency Response
The Punjab State Government established an emergency response protocol to deal with natural disasters and coordinated relief efforts in affected districts. Government agencies work closely with local authorities, the emergency services, and central agencies in order to offer immediate aid and support for long-term recovery to those affected by floods.
