Overview

• A breach on the Dhussi bundh near Sahnewal in Ludhiana sent Sutlej waters into fields, with a temporary ring bundh holding for now as officials warned further Bhakra releases could worsen conditions.
• Punjab has declared all 23 districts flood-hit, with 1,902 villages inundated, over 3.8 lakh people affected, more than 11.7 lakh hectares of farmland damaged, at least 43 deaths, and 21,929 evacuations reported.
• Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan blamed illegal mining for weakening earthen embankments, said he would brief the Prime Minister on Saturday, and noted Centre teams are assessing losses for short-, medium- and long-term plans.
• In Jammu and Kashmir, Jhelum levels have fallen below danger marks at key gauges, the CM announced Rs 5 crore for relief, NH-44 restoration is expected shortly, and water services are being restored including the Tawi filtration plant, 240 of 255 tube wells and 90 tanker deployments.
• Government sources say Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit flood-affected states to review relief with no schedule released, as reports put the regional death toll since June at more than 500.