Chandigarh/Raipur/Srinagar/ROHTAK/KARNAL, Sept. 4 -- Faced with the worst floods in nearly four decades, Punjab was declared as disaster-affected by the state government on Wednesday, even as heavy rains continued to plague north and northwest India with states like Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan reeling from landslides and flooding triggered by the downpour. Punjab chief secretary KAP Sinha, who is also the chairman of the state executive committee constituted under the Disaster Management Act, 2025, on Wednesday authorised district magistrates to issue requisite orders under Section 34 of the Act in the event of a threatening disaster situation. According to the order, more than 1,200 villages -- roughly 10% of total villages in the state -- and lakhs of people have been affected, as heavy monsoon rains, coupled with the release of water from dams, have caused extensive flooding in many districts. P7...