At least 30 people have died and more than 354,000 have been affected by incessant heavy rains and floods in the north Indian state of Punjab.
Authorities have declared all of the state's 23 districts flood-hit, after rivers and reservoirs swelled to near-danger levels. Some 20,000 people have been evacuated from low-lying and flood-affected areas, with hundreds of relief camps set up to provide shelter and essential facilities to the affected families.
Appealing to the country to stand by the state, Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said these were the worst floods the state had seen since 1988.
Punjab, often referred to as the food basket of India, is facing significant agricultural challenges as over 148,000 hectares of farmland have been submerged.
Disaster response teams, aided by the Indian Army and Air Force, are currently involved in rescue operations. More than 35 helicopters and over 100 boats are being deployed to assist in the efforts.
The floods have been attributed to a combination of monsoon currents and weather disruptions, also affecting regions in neighboring Pakistan.
