In brief
Recent heavy rainfall in Punjab has caused severe flooding, leading to at least 30 fatalities and displacing over 354,000 residents. The state's agricultural sector faces significant threats as torrents compromise vast farmlands. Rescue operations are underway with the help of federal authorities.
At least 30 people have died and more than 354,000 have been affected by incessant heavy rains and floods in the north Indian state of Punjab.
Authorities have declared all of the state's 23 districts flood-hit, after rivers and reservoirs swelled to near-danger levels.
Some 20,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying and flood-affected areas, with hundreds of relief camps set up to provide shelter and essential facilities to the affected families.
Appealing to the country to stand by the state, Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said these were the worst floods the state had seen since 1988.
Punjab is often referred to as the food basket of India and is a major source for agricultural production, particularly of staples like wheat and rice. The government says there has been extensive crop damage on some 148,000 hectares of agricultural land, which has been submerged under water.
Multiple disaster response teams, along with the Indian army, airforce, and navy, are helping with the rescue operations. On Tuesday, chief minister Mann toured the flood-hit Ferozepur district by boat. He said the situation was grim and sought funds from the federal government to deal with the crisis.
India's weather agency has indicated that the floods are being caused by the repeated interactions between monsoon currents and weather systems. Nearby, floods have also devastated Pakistan's Punjab province, affecting over two million people in recent weeks.
