At least 30 people have died and more than 354,000 have been affected by floods in Punjab, India, after days of heavy rain. All 23 districts have been declared flood-hit as rivers and reservoirs approach dangerous levels, according to BBC.
About 20,000 people have been evacuated, with relief camps providing shelter and aid. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called it the state’s worst flooding since 1988 and appealed for national support.
The disaster has submerged over 148,000 hectares of farmland, threatening the livelihoods of millions in Punjab, India’s “food basket.” Rescue efforts are underway with the help of disaster teams, the army, navy and air force.
Heavy monsoon rains, intensified by westerly disturbances, are driving the floods, which have also hit parts of northern India and Pakistan’s Punjab province, where nearly two million people are affected, BBC reported.
