Archive · 8 Sep 2025
Punjab Rivers Overwhelmed by Heavy Rainfall, Causing Flooding
Punjab experienced severe flooding because of heavy rainfall.
Rivers like Ravi exceeded their capacity, causing water to spill over and inundate nearby areas.
The Sutlej and Beas rivers managed the high water flow, but the Ravi struggled.
The Ghaggar also overflowed its banks, but the other two did not.
Authorities are discussing the need to improve flood defenses, particularly along the Ravi river.
These events highlight the challenges of managing water during periods of intense rainfall.
Heavy rainfall caused rivers in Punjab to exceed their carrying capacities.
The Ravi River was particularly overwhelmed, leading to widespread flooding in multiple districts.
The Sutlej and Beas rivers handled significant water flow, with no major breaches reported.
The Ghaggar river caused inundation in low-lying areas in Patiala district.
Punjab Water Resources Minister stated the water flow was unprecedented due to incessant rain.
- Who
- Punjab rivers (Sutlej, Beas, Ravi, Ghaggar), Punjab Water Resources Minister, irrigation officials
- What
- Flooding in Punjab due to heavy rainfall and river overflow.
- When
- August-September 2023
- Where
- Punjab, India (Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Amritsar, Hoshiarpur, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Patiala)
- Why
- Incessant rain led to unprecedented water flow exceeding the carrying capacity of some rivers.
Current Flood Situation
Preventative Measures
Cause of Flooding
Current Flood Situation
Incessant rain in Punjab and Himachal led to unprecedented river flow, particularly in the Ravi.
Preventative Measures
Raising dhussi bandhs around rivers, particularly the Ravi, is crucial since it gets huge flows but has less water capacity against other rivers.
- Sutlej Capacity
- 2-3 lakh cusecs
- Beas Capacity
- 2-3 lakh cusecs
- Ravi Capacity
- 60,000 to 1 lakh cusecs
- Ghaggar Capacity
- 31,500 to 42,000 cusecs
- Ravi Peak Flow
- 2.22 lakh cusecs
- Ujh River Inflows
- Upto 3 lakh cusecs
Sources
Punjab: Backbone of defence against flood, MGNREGA workers say pay pending
Women lead in Punjab flood relief: Embankments to camps & supplies
Punjab floods | Against their capacity, state’s rivers ran heavy: Ravi, Beas bore the brunt this season
