Ravi River Floods Damage 30 km of India-Pakistan Border Fence In Punjab: Report

Raging floodwaters from the Ravi river have caused extensive damage along the border between India and Pakistan in Punjab, forcing the Border Security Force (BSF) to abandon numerous checkpoints, The Indian Express reported.

The powerful surge of water has torn down nearly 30 km of border fencing and caused at least 50 breaches in protective dams across the districts of Gurdaspur, Amritsar, and Pathankot.

A.K. Vidyarthi, the Deputy Inspector General of BSF Punjab Frontier, told the English daily that in Gurdaspur alone, 30 to 40 BSF outposts were submerged, though all personnel and equipment were safely evacuated without any casualties. The BSF post near the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor is now underwater, compelling soldiers to seek shelter at the nearby Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.

The flooding has affected both sides of the border, with even the Pakistan Rangers having vacated their forward posts. While the BSF is used to floods from the Satluj river in Ferozepur, officers noted it has been many years since the Ravi river caused such severe disruptions to their operations in Gurdaspur and Amritsar.

The Gurdaspur drainage department confirmed 28 breaches in the district's dams, while Amritsar has 10 to 12. In Pathankot, a single breach washed away an entire two-kilometer-long dam. Some of these gaps are massive, spanning 500 to 1,000 feet wide.

Repair efforts have begun at key locations, but officials warn that simply plugging the breaches could take four to six weeks, with full restoration taking much longer.

The Ravi River holds significant cultural and geographical importance in South Asia. Starting near Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh, the river travels roughly 725 kilometers through the plains of Punjab before merging with the Chenab River in Pakistan.

For centuries, the Ravi has been crucial for agriculture, trade, and settlement. Its historical significance is particularly strong in Lahore, where it once flowed beside the renowned Badshahi Mosque.