Bhagwant Mann Falls Sick Arvind Kejriwal Visits Flood-Hit Punjab Areas Amid Severe Flooding

(MENAFN- Live Mint) AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal met Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday after the latter fell ill, ahead of their planned visit to flood-hit areas across the state. CM Mann was reported to be down with a fever and received Kejriwal at his official residence.

Following the meeting, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal proceeded to Sultanpur Lodhi in Kapurthala district to assess the ongoing relief operations and interact with residents affected by the devastating floods. He arrived in Punjab on Wednesday evening.

Also Read | 'We all stand with them': Diljit Dosanjh shows support for Punjab floods victims Punjab Faces One of Its Worst Flood Disasters in Decades

Punjab is currently confronting one of the most severe flood crises in decades. The disaster has been triggered by the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers, along with several seasonal rivulets, swelling due to heavy rainfall in their catchment areas in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

Additional rains within Punjab have worsened the situation , compounding the challenges for residents. Officials have reported 37 deaths and over 3.55 lakh people affected by the deluge. Crops across more than 1.75 lakh hectares have been destroyed.

Also Read | Flood fury: Daily life disrupted in Delhi, J&K; vast areas inundated in Punjab Bhakra Dam Reaches Critical Level

With the Bhakra dam just one foot below its maximum capacity of 1,680 feet, the Rupnagar administration issued alerts urging residents near the Sutlej river to relocate to safer locations.

On Thursday morning, the water level in the Bhakra dam was recorded at 1,678.97 feet, following rainfall in upstream catchment areas, raising concerns of further inundation downstream.

Also Read | Shah Rukh Khan, Alia Bhatt, Vicky extend prayers to Punjab floods victims Community Efforts to Protect Embankments in Punjab

In Ferozepur's Habib Ke village, more than 2,000 volunteers from Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, alongside army engineers and drainage officials, have been working tirelessly to safeguard embankments threatened by the relentless flow of the Sutlej river.

“The real heroes are the people who come with bags, food, and bare hands. Their spirit is keeping the bandh alive,” said contractor Ratan Singh Saini.

The crisis escalated after 3.3 lakh cusecs of water-40,000 cusecs higher than the 2023 flood peak-was released from Harike Headworks. The swollen river breached the RG embankment near Manu Machhi village in Zira's Makhu sub-division, flooding multiple villages including Chak Manu Machhi, Jamaliwala, Gatta Dallar, and Tibi. While timely evacuations saved lives, hundreds of acres of crops were washed away.

Also Read | Punjab floods: Schools, colleges shut, alert near Sutlej - Top updates Punjab Villages Submerged and Displacement

Authorities have reported extensive submersion across districts:

Ferozepur: 111 villages submerged , affecting 39,076 people; 3,495 displaced

Fazilka: 77 villages submerged, affecting 21,562 people; 2,422 displaced

The widespread flooding has highlighted the vulnerability of agricultural lands and the urgent need for coordinated relief and rehabilitation efforts.

MENAFN04092025007365015876ID1110019488