The Punjab govt has extended closure of schools, colleges till September 7 due to flood situation, said education minister Harjot Singh Bains. As widespread rainfall continues to hit several states Wednesday, the India Meteorological Department issued a ‘red alert’ for Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Odisha and parts of Punjab.

Meanwhile, schools and colleges across Jammu and Kashmir, and Noida, as well as other rain-hit regions, remained shut Wednesday as the IMD forecasted heavy showers over the next 24 hours. In Delhi, as the Yamuna River level continued to rise, authorities issued a flood warning. The water level was recorded at 206.83 metres at Old Railway Bridge (ORB).

Flood impact in Punjab, J&K: The Punjab government declared all 23 districts flood-hit and said the deluge has claimed 30 lives and impacted over 3.5 lakh people so far. Dam reservoirs remain full, and rivers are flowing near danger marks. Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann separately visited some of the affected areas. According to officials, Punjab received 74 per cent excess rain in August, the state’s highest in 25 years. In Jammu and Kashmir, rising water levels have shut down the Srinagar-Jammu national highway, officials said. Schools and colleges in both places are shut for the day.