Southwest Monsoon Begins Withdrawal From Flood-Hit Punjab, Haryana
Monsoon withdraws from flood-ravaged Punjab and Haryana regions.
The southwest monsoon began its retreat from parts of flood-devastated Punjab and Haryana on Tuesday, offering a glimmer of hope to regions battered by unprecedented rainfall and flooding, the Meteorological Department announced. The withdrawal line now stretches through Bathinda, Fatehabad, Pilani, and Ajmer, signaling a gradual easing of the monsoon’s grip.
Conditions are favorable for further retreat from additional areas of Punjab and Haryana within the next two to three days, though light to moderate rain is still expected at isolated places on September 17 and 19, with slightly heavier showers forecast for September 18.
Punjab faced a catastrophic August, recording 253.7 mm of rainfall—74% above the normal average and the highest in 25 years. This deluge, coupled with swollen rivers like the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi, fueled by heavy rains in their Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir catchment areas, triggered one of Punjab’s worst flood disasters in decades.
The toll has been staggering: 56 lives lost and crops across 1.98 lakh hectares destroyed, leaving farmers and communities reeling. Haryana, too, was hit hard, receiving 194.5 mm of rain in August, a 32% surplus compared to the average of 147.7 mm.
The excessive rainfall in August marked only the fifth time in 25 years that both states recorded such surpluses, exacerbating the flooding crisis. In Punjab, seasonal rivulets and heavy local downpours intensified the chaos, submerging villages and disrupting livelihoods. Haryana faced similar woes, with recent heavy rains and overflowing rivers causing widespread inundation in low-lying areas. The combined impact has strained infrastructure, displaced families, and sparked urgent calls for enhanced flood management systems.
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As the monsoon recedes, authorities are bracing for the aftermath, focusing on relief and rehabilitation for affected communities. The Met Department’s forecast offers cautious optimism, but the scars of this season’s floods will linger. With climate patterns growing increasingly erratic, experts warn that Punjab and Haryana must bolster their defenses against future deluges, from strengthening river embankments to improving early warning systems. For now, residents hold their breath, hoping the retreating monsoon signals the start of recovery.
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