The Punjab government on September 3 announced that all schools across the state will remain closed until September 7, as relentless rainfall and widespread flooding continue to wreak havoc, Minister Harjot Singh Bains confirmed.

Earlier closures, extended to September 3, had already followed emergency holidays from August 27 to 30, as the deluge intensified. The decision underscores growing concerns for student safety amid one of the state’s most severe natural disasters in decades.

All 23 districts of Punjab have now been officially declared flood-hit, according to the latest government bulletin. The floods, described as the worst since 1988, have claimed 30 lives and affected nearly 3.5 lakh people. Rivers including the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi, along with seasonal rivulets, have swelled dangerously following heavy rains in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir, inundating large areas downstream.

Over 1,400 villages are grappling with submergence, with Pathankot reporting the highest death toll of six. Rising waters have crippled transportation, submerged homes, and devastated farmland, leaving communities struggling for basic necessities. Emergency services face immense logistical challenges as breached riverbanks and submerged roads hamper relief operations.

Authorities have evacuated approximately 20,000 residents from the worst-hit areas, moving them to safer locations. State Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann toured several flood-affected regions on September 2, inspecting damage and overseeing relief measures. Yet, continuous rainfall and swollen rivers continue to hinder rescue efforts, threatening further displacement.

The socio-economic fallout is severe: schools remain shuttered, transport networks are paralyzed, and essential public services are stretched to their limits. Experts warn that ongoing rainfall could escalate both humanitarian and economic losses, potentially surpassing previous flood crises in Punjab.

The administration faces mounting pressure to coordinate rescue and relief operations while rehabilitating displaced populations. Health authorities are monitoring for outbreaks of waterborne diseases, and disaster management teams are distributing supplies and maintaining emergency shelters. The floods starkly highlight Punjab’s infrastructural vulnerabilities and the urgent need for improved river management and climate-resilient planning.