The situation in flood-ravaged Punjab is subsiding, but it has claimed three more lives in Amritsar and Rupnagar in the past 24 hours, raising the total toll to 46 across 14 districts, while three persons remain missing in district Pathankot. The number of affected villages has also increased to 1996, impacting a total population of 3.87 lakh. According to media reports, the Punjab government has pegged the estimated losses at over Rs 13,000 crores. Though this is an interim assessment, as the exact magnitude of damage would be gauged only after the water recedes. With every passing day the number of damages is increasing in context of land, crop, people affected and lives lost.

The number of evacuations by the expert teams of Indian Army, Air Force, NDRF and BSF has also increased to about 23, 000 people. Gurdaspur, Fazilka, Ferozepur, Amritsar, Kapurthala and Tarn Taran districts are the worst affected in context of number of villages, population and the crop area. Homes and livestock have also sustained significant losses. Relief and rescue operations are going on with the help of local people and NGOs. Punjab’s milk cooperative, Milkfed, has also activated a comprehensive two-fold strategy to help dairy farmers and livestock, while ensuring no family should be left without nourishment.