NEW DELHI: Punjab on Wednesday declared itself a disaster-affected state following record rainfall and flood-like conditions across multiple districts.According to the notification of Punjab government, “the state is grappling with one of the worst flood disasters in decades, impacting more than 1200 villages and affecting lacs of people.” A day earlier, chief minister Bhagwant Mann warned that the current flood situation is more severe than the one Punjab faced in 1988. He expressed hope that “the people of the country will stand by the state” during this crisis.Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Hardeep Singh Mundian said floods have impacted more than 2.56 lakh people across 12 districts, displacing thousands and causing extensive damage to homes, crops, livestock, and infrastructure.Meanwhile, several northern states continue to reel under intense rainfall. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday issued red alerts for parts of Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, northern Punjab, northern Haryana, eastern Rajasthan, southwest Uttar Pradesh, as well as northwest and eastern Madhya Pradesh and Odisha. The IMD’s nowcast warned of moderate to heavy downpours over the next few hours, with risks of flash floods, landslides, and severe waterlogging.