Over 2,200 villages and approximately 388,000 people in Punjab have been affected by floods caused by heavy rains and excess water release from dams (Photo: PMO)
As the Monsoon enters its withdrawal phase in parts of India, it leaves behind a trail of destruction in many parts of the country, some of which are habitual recipients of floods and others, notably Punjab, which are rarely at the receiving end of extreme floods.
As per the India Meteorological Department (IMD), this year Monsoon has started to retreat from September 15, the earliest in a decade. While it may offer relief to large parts of Punjab that were hit by unprecedented flooding, leaving behind the damage, exposing the severe vulnerabilities of marginalised communities grappling with the brutal impacts of climate change.
According to Punjab government, over 2,200 villages and approximately 388,000 people in Punjab have been affected by floods caused by unusually heavy monsoon rains and excess water release from dams upstream. At least 55 people have lost their lives and almost 475,000 acres of standing crops have been wiped out, putting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers and farm workers, which could have long-term repercussions for the state’s rural poor.
The stark reality is that these extreme weather events are no longer distant warnings but harsh daily realities for millions, especially the most vulnerable, the smaller farmers.
“Last year, we managed to recover from dry conditions with some irrigation, but this time the flood came when the paddy was almost ready. I lost my entire crop, nearly 10 acres. Earlier, even if the rains were erratic, there was some balance, but now it is either drought or a flood. Earlier generations at least knew what to expect from the weather. Now, we are completely at its mercy,” Harinder Singh, a smallholder farmer whose fields in Fatehgarh Sahib were completely inundated, tells Media India Group.
“We take loans to purchase seed, fertiliser and even tractors. This year I don’t know how I will repay it. With crop insurance delays and no savings left, most of us will have to borrow again. Earlier, farming gave us dignity. Today it feels like gambling against the gods,” he adds.
For rural households like Singh’s, increasingly frequent climate disasters across the country, mean not only vanishing income but also mounting social pressures. Weddings are postponed, education expenses curtailed, and health treatments deferred. Migration to cities has risen in recent years as younger family members seek construction or transport jobs.
For those observing the broader crisis, the pattern is painfully familiar.
“The impacts of climate extremes are no longer abstract warnings; they are daily realities for millions of people, especially those with the least means to cope. Heatwaves are silent killers, floods wipe out small farms, and droughts trigger out-migration. The wealthy can adapt, by using air coolers, better housing, or financial cushions. But poorer groups face existential threats: loss of food, water, shelter, and health security. Climate change multiplies inequalities already embedded in our society,” Kamna Singh, Founder, ShubKamna Welfare Foundation, an NGO based in Noida, told Media India Group.
“Reviving wetlands or traditional johads ensures water security in droughts and reduces flood damage. These measures work best when communities themselves are partners, not mere recipients of aid. We have seen women in Jewar, who once had to walk long distances for water, now participating in wetland management that protects both their livelihoods and local biodiversity,” she adds.
The Punjab floods, along with the Marathwada deluge that destroyed nearly 3.212 acres of crops, underline how marginalised groups remain most exposed and least protected. Relief delivery in remote villages lagged behind, with small-scale farmers waiting weeks for compensation, while larger agribusiness holdings recovered more quickly due to quicker credit access.
Despite these shocks, farmers cling to rebuilding strategies, often without systemic support.
“Some of us are considering planting shorter-duration rice varieties or diversifying to millet. Others are trying to make side income with dairy or poultry. But these require investments. If the government and banks supported us seriously, we could adapt. Right now, it feels like we are fighting with broken tools,” says Singh from Fatehgarh Sahib.
Other than Punjab, which faced over 1,400 villages flooded and about 371,475 acres of farmland submerged, several other states across India suffered from severe monsoon floods in 2025. Himachal Pradesh recorded a 46 pc above-normal rainfall, Jammu & Kashmir about 36 pc above normal, and Uttarakhand 26 pc above normal, all contributing to flash floods and landslides in these hilly regions. Bihar saw a 28 pc deficit in rainfall but still faced flooding due to overflow in river basins, while Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra all reported excess monsoon rains leading to widespread waterlogging and agricultural damage.
In urban areas, flood-prone cities like Patna (Bihar), Guwahati (Assam), Kolkata (West Bengal), Mumbai (Maharashtra), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Delhi, and Surat (Gujarat) experienced significant flood risks compounded by unplanned urbanization and poor drainage systems.
These metropolitan areas frequently suffer from river overflows, coastal floods, and flash floods during intense monsoon spells affecting millions. Such floods and waterlogging events exacerbate infrastructure damage and disrupt daily life, highlighting the extensive scope of the flooding beyond Punjab.
The IMD data and multiple reports show that this year’s extreme rainfall episodes were widespread, with the northwest Indian states like Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand experiencing 30-50 pc more rainfall than normal, while central and eastern states had mixed patterns with localised flooding.