At least 30 people have died, and over 354,000 are affected by floods in Punjab. All 23 districts are hit, with rivers and reservoirs near danger levels. Nearly 20,000 residents have been moved to temporary shelters for safety.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called it the worst flood since 1988 and appealed for national support. Over 35 helicopters and more than 100 boats are being deployed by disaster response units, along with army, navy, and air force personnel, to carry out large-scale rescue efforts.

Flooding has submerged 148,000 hectares of farmland, threatening the livelihoods of a quarter of Punjab’s population. Rivers Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi are at dangerous levels. Residents along the Sutlej are keeping vigil to protect their homes.

The floods are caused by monsoon currents interacting with westerly disturbances, bringing heavy rains to northern India. Pakistan’s Punjab is reeling from heavy damage, leaving roughly two million residents struggling to cope.