Body Recovered from Beas Amid Punjab Floods
Man’s body found in raging Beas floodwaters
The body of 40-year-old Buta Mohammad, a resident of Dhilwan, was discovered floating in the swollen Beas River in the Mand area of Kapurthala district on Saturday, police confirmed. Mohammad had been missing since Thursday after slipping into the river’s strong currents, intensified by heavy rainfall in the catchment areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Bholath) Karnail Singh reported that the body was identified and recovered, with investigations underway to confirm the circumstances of his death.
The Beas, along with the Sutlej and Ravi rivers, has inundated vast areas of Punjab, submerging over 50,000 acres of paddy crops under up to five feet of water in Kapurthala’s Mand area, including villages like Baupur Jadid and Ahli Kalan. While water levels in the Beas are beginning to recede, providing some relief, the region remains in crisis. Over 7,600 people have been evacuated across Punjab, with the Army, NDRF, and BSF deploying helicopters and boats to rescue stranded residents.
Rajya Sabha MP Balbir Singh Seechewal has been actively supporting affected farmers, distributing cooked food and grocery items in Sultanpur Lodhi’s Mand area. The Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, has promised compensation for crop losses and is conducting a special girdawari to assess damages. Relief camps in Kapurthala, Ferozepur, and Hoshiarpur are providing shelter, food, and medical aid, with special teams deployed to prevent waterborne diseases like dengue.
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The flooding, exacerbated by the release of 94,845 cusecs of water from the Pong Dam, has drawn comparisons to the devastating 1988 floods, with farmers like Jarnail Singh reporting entire paddy crops destroyed. Authorities are reinforcing embankments, but locals demand permanent solutions, such as desilting the Beas and strengthening the Dhussi Bandh, to prevent recurring floods.
Also Read: Punjab CM Pushes Relief Efforts Amid Flood Crisis
