By Matters India Reporter
New Delhi, Sept. 4, 2025: The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India on September 4 expressed deep anguish and profound solidarity with the people of Punjab and Haryana who are suffering from the catastrophic floods, the worst in the region in decades.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families during this time of immense suffering,” said a press statement issued by Father Robinson Rodrigues, public relations officer of the conference.
Punjab is witnessing its most severe flooding since 1988. The floods have claimed 37 lives and affected more than 350,000 people as all 23 districts of the state have been hit.
Officials report that 1,655 villages have been impacted as floodwaters continue to spread due to overflowing rivers like the Sutlej, Beas and Ravi, along with seasonal rivulets swollen by heavy rainfall in Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Farmers have also reported the loss of livestock. Many houses have been damaged or washed away. In some areas, farmland has turned into water bodies as deep as 8 to 10 feet, forcing people to use boats to move around.
“Reports indicate a truly devastating scale of loss,” the bishops’ statement observed. The agricultural sector, which sustains the livelihoods of millions, has been crippled, with more than 370,000 acres of crops submerged and destroyed. Thousands of people have been left without shelter or means of sustenance, facing a long and arduous road to recovery.
“In this hour of crisis, the CBCI calls on all Catholics across India to join in fervent prayer for our brothers and sisters in Punjab. We pray for the strength and resilience of all those who have lost their homes and livelihoods. We also pray for the safety and success of all the rescue workers who are tirelessly working to save lives,” the statement added.
The bishops also appealed to Christians and people of good will to come forward with tangible assistance. “Your generosity, whether through food, clean water, medicine, or shelter, can make a meaningful difference to those who have been left with nothing,” they added.
They asked Catholic dioceses, institutions and others to channel their contributions through Caritas India, the Church’s humanitarian arm.
“Caritas has already activated its networks to coordinate relief efforts and rehabilitation work,” the statement said.
The worst-affected districts include Gurdaspur, Pathankot, Fazilka, Kapurthala, Tarn Taran, Ferozepur, Hoshiarpur and Amritsar. While the administration has set up relief camps, many villagers continue to stay on rooftops or raised platforms near their homes to remain close to their livestock and property.