LAHORE: The province of Punjab is experiencing intense flooding following the release of additional water from India into the Sutlej River on Tuesday. This has led to the inundation of numerous villages and the displacement of thousands of residents.
Authorities issued a red alert as floodwaters overwhelmed settlements across Kasur, Vehari, Bahawalpur, and Multan districts, aggravating the already critical situation caused by rising levels in key rivers. A surge of 327,000 cusecs of water at the Ganda Singhwala headworks flooded embankments, prompting large-scale evacuations.
Rescue operations involved helicopters and boats ferrying stranded families to safety, with mosque announcements urging immediate evacuation. In Kasur and Bahawalpur, the Sutlej River’s high levels caused widespread flooding of farmland and residential areas. In Chak Kehil, residents were forced to evacuate as floodwaters entered their homes, with rescue teams assisting them to secure locations. The Punjab Irrigation Department reported water flows of 125,000 cusecs at Head Islam, over 170,000 cusecs at Jamlera in Burewala, and more than 117,000 cusecs at Mailsi Siphon.
Vehari and neighboring tehsils remain submerged, with about 93 villages affected and over 61,000 acres of cotton, rice, and sugarcane destroyed. More than 80,000 people along with 58,000 cattle have been relocated to safer areas, as officials warn that additional rainfall could worsen the situation.The Chenab River has also overflowed, inundating over 100 settlements in Jalalpur Pirwala tehsil of Multan and more than 35 villages in Liaquatpur. To protect major towns, authorities deliberately breached embankments such as the Vehari bridge, though the next 12 hours are considered critical for containment.Flood levels in the
Panjnad and Trimmum regions are dangerously high, with ongoing heavy rains in Jalalpur Pirwala aggravating the crisis for flood-affected residents.
Downstream, the Indus River is under increasing stress. At Guddu Barrage, water flow has reached 416,000 cusecs, with predictions of rising to 800,000 cusecs. Authorities fear large areas of kachha land could be submerged and have heightened alert levels. Similarly, the Indus at Khanpur has recorded 782,000 cusecs, with forecasts indicating that flows may approach one million cusecs within the next day. The Sindh government reports that the situation remains manageable with continuous monitoring, although evacuations are underway in vulnerable zones. Low-level flooding has been observed in Sukkur.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has warned of heavy rains across Sindh and parts of Balochistan, raising fears of additional emergencies. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) states this weather pattern marks the final intense phase of the current monsoon, although smaller-scale systems may follow.Casualty figures due to floods and rain have risen to 928 nationwide, with thousands displaced. The Punjab Disaster Management Authority also confirmed that India officially communicated its water release via its High Commission, warning Pakistan of high flood levels downstream at Harike and Ferozepur in the Sutlej basin.
