At Least 20 Dead, Thousands Displaced As Devastating Floods Hit Punjab

Floodwaters have swept through settlements along riverbanks, leaving many families stranded on rooftops while others waded through rising currents carrying their belongings to safer areas.

LAHORE: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-August 29Punjab is reeling under widespread devastation after Rivers Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej burst their banks following heavy rains and the release of water from India, submerging villages, crops and forcing thousands of residents to flee their homes.

Floodwaters have swept through settlements along riverbanks, leaving many families stranded on rooftops while others waded through rising currents carrying their belongings to safer areas. Several districts, including Wazirabad, Kasur, Narowal, Hafizabad, Kamalia, Mandi Bahauddin, Bahawalnagar, Sialkot, Sargodha, Vehari and Pakpattan, remain cut off after embankments were breached at multiple points.

Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Irfan Kathia confirmed that at least 20 people have lost their lives in the province so far, with Gujranwala suffering the highest casualties. He warned that climate change-driven erratic weather patterns were exacerbating the crisis. “Unusual rainfall has caused extensive damage to crops. Any planning without factoring in climate change will only lead to greater losses,” he said.

The Punjab government has announced financial assistance of Rs10 million for each victim’s family, while over 300,000 livestock have been secured under emergency measures on the instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Authorities reported that water inflow at Chiniot Bridge has surged to 830,100 cusecs, while Shahdara in Lahore is witnessing a “very high flood” that has inundated localities including Farrukhabad, Aziz Colony, Amin Park, Afghan Colony, Shafiqabad and Muridwala. In Faisalabad’s Tandlianwala, evacuation of low-lying areas is under way as river levels continue to rise.

In southern Punjab, Deputy Commissioner Rajanpur Shafqatullah Mushtaq warned of an imminent “very high flood” in River Indus.

Relief camps have been established near riverbanks, while police and rescue teams remain engaged in evacuations from vulnerable katcha areas. “Health, livestock and rescue departments are fully mobilized, while embankment strengthening is in progress,” he said.

Multan faces the threat of a major flood wave within the next 24 to 48 hours as River Chenab swells dangerously.

To protect the city, authorities have decided to breach at Head Muhammad Wala, diverting the flow away from populated areas.

Rescue efforts are being carried out by local volunteers, PDMA teams, Pakistan Army and Rangers.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz visited flood-hit districts, reviewed operations and directed officials to accelerate relief work.