Lahore – Punjab is facing one of its most severe flood emergencies in recent years as rivers Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej continue to swell beyond critical levels, leaving a trail of devastation across the province.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), at least 22 lives have been lost and more than 1.2 million people displaced as relentless rains and surging river flows inundated hundreds of villages and farmlands. The Authority has issued a 48-hour alert, warning of further flooding due to expected heavy rainfall across Punjab and adjoining regions.
In Lahore, the administration is locked in a critical battle to hold back the Ravi, where inflows at Shahdara reached 219,770 cusecs and Balloki surged past 117,000 cusecs, forcing authorities to declare “critical vigilance.” Protective embankments have been reinforced, while monitoring teams remain on round-the-clock alert.
Elsewhere, the situation remains dire. At Qadirabad headworks, the Chenab peaked at 996,000 cusecs, well beyond its design capacity, compelling officials to breach bunds near Mandi Bahauddin and Ali Pur Chatha to divert water into agricultural tracts. At Khanki, inflows touched 859,000 cusecs, inundating dozens of villages and destroying crops weeks before harvest.
The Sutlej River also swelled dangerously, recording 113,124 cusecs at Sulemanki and 54,756 cusecs at Islam headworks, leading to breaches of temporary dykes in Kasur, Pakpattan, and Bahawalnagar. Families were forced to evacuate overnight, many using tractor trolleys or makeshift rafts to reach higher ground.
Authorities confirmed the establishment of 263 relief camps across Punjab, while 365 rescue missions have been conducted using helicopters and boats. Food packets, drinking water, and medicines are being air-dropped in inaccessible areas, though displaced families report shortages of essential supplies.
Floodwaters have also disrupted transportation networks, with the Narowal-Sialkot railway line suspended and Sialkot International Airport temporarily closed. Pakistan International Airlines has rerouted flights to Lahore.
Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed acknowledged the scale of the disaster, calling the challenge “monumental,” but credited coordinated efforts by the civil administration, Rescue 1122, and the army for keeping casualties lower than feared.
The NDMA has urged residents in low-lying areas to evacuate without delay, stressing that “lives are more important than property.” With rivers still rising and monsoon rains forecast until September 2, officials warned that the next 48 hours would be decisive for Lahore and central Punjab.
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