The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) has issued a flood alert as Punjab’s major reservoirs—Bhakra, Pong, Ranjit Sagar, and Shahpur Kandi—record alarming water levels, forcing authorities to step up preventive measures across vulnerable districts.
According to BBMB engineers, the Bhakra Dam is now just nine feet below its maximum storage capacity, leaving very little buffer before excess water has to be released. At Pong Dam, the situation is already critical, with water levels touching 1,393 feet, crossing the prescribed mark. The Ranjit Sagar Dam, after receiving heavy inflows from catchment areas, has discharged over two lakh cusecs of water downstream, raising the flood threat in Punjab’s border belt. The Shahpur Kandi barrage too is witnessing heavy inflows, adding to the cumulative pressure.
The BBMB has warned that any further rainfall in the catchment areas could force uncontrolled releases from dams, which would sharply escalate flood risk for Punjab’s plains. Officials said they are in constant touch with the Punjab government and disaster management agencies to coordinate relief and safety measures.
District administrations in Kapurthala, Hoshiarpur, Pathankot, and Ferozepur have been put on red alert. Weak river embankments along the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi are being reinforced, while villagers in low-lying belts have been advised to remain on standby for possible evacuation. In Pathankot and Gurdaspur, precautionary evacuations have already begun near the Ravi and Ujh rivers.
Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has reviewed the situation with senior officials, directing them to ensure that rescue teams, food stocks, and medical support are fully mobilized. He also appealed to people in vulnerable zones not to panic but to cooperate with administration and shift to designated shelters if instructed.
Farmers in Doaba and Majha have reported extensive damage to standing paddy crops, as waterlogging spreads across fields near Sutlej and Beas catchments. Officials said crop loss assessments will be carried out and full compensation will be assured.
With BBMB’s latest advisory highlighting the shrinking storage margins at Bhakra and Pong, Punjab’s flood management machinery is now bracing for a critical 72 hours. Sustained rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu hills could tip the balance further, leading to higher releases and fresh inundation in downstream villages.
At present, large areas of Doaba and Malwa regions are already waterlogged, and rescue boats have been deployed in several pockets. Relief camps have been set up in schools and community halls for displaced families, as the state continues to battle one of its most severe flood threats in recent years.