Chandigarh, Sept. 3 -- Punjab has declared itself a disaster-hit state after relentless monsoon rains, dam water release and swollen rivers left the state reeling. While all 23 districts have been affected by inclement weather, seven districts-Ferozepur, Gurdaspur, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Kapurthala, Rupnagar and Tarn Taran-are facing severe floods that have devastated more than 1,200 villages.

In an official order, Chief Secretary KAP Sinha, who chairs the State Executive Committee under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, invoked Section 24 of the law and authorised Deputy Commissioners to exercise powers under Section 34 to deal with the situation. The order called the current crisis "one of the worst disasters in decades" and directed ...