Chandigarh: The devastating floods in Punjab have claimed three more lives in Amritsar and Rupnagar districts over the past 24 hours, raising the total death toll to 46 across 14 districts. Punjab’s Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian confirmed that three people remain missing in Pathankot district.

In the last 24 hours, 48 additional villages, affecting 2,691 residents and damaging 2,131 hectares of crops, have been impacted by the floods. Till now, 1,996 villages across 22 districts have been hit, affecting a population of more than 3.87 lakh. Jalandhar alone reported 19 newly affected villages, followed by 13 in Ludhiana, six in Ferozepur, five in Amritsar, four in Hoshiarpur, and one in Fazilka.

Evacuation efforts are ongoing, with 925 people rescued in the past day, bringing the total number of evacuated persons to 22,854. At present, 139 relief camps are operational across the state, sheltering 6,121 displaced individuals. Since the onset of floods, 219 relief camps have been set up across Punjab.

Agriculture has been severely affected, with the total crop damage surpassing 1.74 lakh hectares across 18 districts. The minister informed that 23 NDRF teams and 2 SDRF teams are actively engaged in rescue operations in various districts including Amritsar, Fazilka, Gurdaspur, Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Patiala, Pathankot, and Rupnagar.

Additionally, 27 Army columns, seven Engineer Task Forces, and nine helicopters of the Indian Air Force and Army have been deployed in flood-hit regions. The Border Security Force (BSF) is providing assistance in the Ferozepur sector, while 158 boats along with a state helicopter are also contributing to ongoing relief and rescue measures.