Punjab is reeling from its worst floods since 1988, with farmland, villages, and livelihoods devastated across both Indian and Pakistani regions.
Scale of Destruction
India: Over 1,200 villages flooded, 3 lakh acres of crops ruined in districts like Gurdaspur, Amritsar, and Ferozepur.
Pakistan: More than 2,000 villages inundated, 2 million people affected, with mass evacuations of families and livestock.
Farmers describe total losses. “Thirteen of my 15 acres are gone… Our rice is completely destroyed,” said one from Chiniot.
Relief Efforts
Indian Punjab announced ₹20,000 per acre compensation and ₹4 lakh for victims’ families. Farmers may also sell silt from their fields.
The Army is deploying helicopters, boats, and sandbags in Ferozepur.
Pakistan continues emergency evacuations amid warnings of long-term food insecurity.
Anger and Demands
Farmers in India say aid is insufficient, demanding ₹50,000–70,000 per acre and wider coverage. A protest is set for September 17. Political leaders are urging the Centre to release a ₹20,000 crore relief package.
Outlook
With health infrastructure losses pegged at ₹780 crore and fields waterlogged, recovery could take years. For many farmers, the refrain is the same:
“Everything is gone.”