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Sewa International launches Punjab-Himachal flood relief
The organization has set a target of $50,000 for its current campaign to support relief and recovery efforts in the severely affected areas.
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Staff Reporter - Mon, 08, Sep 2025
- 12:34 EDT
- 26
Sewa International / sewainternational.org
Sewa International, USA, launched an urgent fundraising campaign to support relief operations in India’s flood-hit Punjab and Himachal Pradesh.
The organization has set a target of $50,000 and raised about $6,000 at the time of writing.
Sewa International said it has mobilized volunteers and local partners to provide food, clean drinking water, temporary shelter, and medical assistance in areas where heavy monsoon rains have caused large-scale devastation.
Also Read: Villages marooned after deadly floods in India's Punjab
“Our teams are working with local partners to provide food, clean water, temporary shelter, and medical care. But the scale of this disaster is beyond anything we’ve seen in years,” said Srikanth Gundavarapu, president of Sewa International, USA.
The group outlined a two-phase plan—immediate relief through food packets, tents, blankets, and medical aid, followed by long-term recovery to help farmers and families rebuild homes, restore livelihoods, and repair infrastructure.
“This is not just about rebuilding homes; it’s about restoring lives and dignity,” said Swadesh Katoch, vice president of disaster recovery at Sewa International.
Floodwaters have inundated 23 districts in Punjab, submerging more than 1,900 villages and affecting over 380,000 people. Nearly 1.1 million acres of farmland remain underwater, wiping out crops in one of India’s most important agricultural regions.
In Himachal Pradesh, authorities have reported more than 300 deaths, the destruction of 1,280 homes, 819 blocked roads, and the loss of about 35,000 livestock. State officials estimate damages at more than $480 million, with power, water supply, and transportation systems crippled.
Across northern India, over 500 people have died in floods and landslides since the onset of heavy rains. Between late August and early September, the region recorded its wettest two-week period in 14 years, with rainfall nearly three times the seasonal average.
Punjab alone has seen rainfall exceed its long-term average by 55 percent, with cities like Ludhiana and Amritsar experiencing daily surges of more than 300 percent that overwhelmed rivers and drainage systems.
The disaster has also raised global concerns over food security. Punjab is a leading producer of basmati rice, and extensive crop losses in both Indian and Pakistani Punjab have contributed to a $50-per-ton rise in international rice prices. Farmers in the region describe the flooding as the worst in decades.
Sewa International has previously responded to natural disasters worldwide, including hurricanes in the United States and earthquakes in Asia. The organization said all contributions to its current campaign will be directed toward relief and recovery in Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, which are experiencing one of the most severe floods in recent memory.
Donate here: https://www.sewausa.org/UrgentFloodReliefAppealPunjabHimachalPradesh
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