Staff Report
ISLAMABAD:
The death toll from the ongoing floods in Punjab has risen to 41 as authorities brace for a fresh wave of flooding in the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Monday.
Heavy rainfall and the release of water from India are expected to intensify the crisis, with river flows surging to extremely high levels at multiple points. At Head Trimmu, the Chenab is flowing at over 541,000 cusecs, submerging several nearby villages, while a flood wave of 600,000 to 700,000 cusecs is expected at Head Muhammad Wala. In Multan, the Chenab has inundated 138 low-lying settlements, destroying thousands of acres of cotton and other crops.
The Sutlej at Head Ganda Singh is recording 253,000 cusecs, while the Ravi at Head Balloki has reached 148,000 cusecs, flooding dozens of villages and damaging crops on a large scale. At Head Sidhnai, water levels stand at 105,000 cusecs, while Head Panjnad has registered an inflow of 121,000 cusecs. Although water levels are beginning to recede at Head Sulemanki, more than 100 villages remain underwater.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the disaster has impacted 3,129 villages and affected over 2.4 million people. The Chenab alone has submerged 1,578 villages, while the Ravi and Sutlej have affected 1,033 and 518 villages respectively. Thousands of homes have been swept away, and standing crops across vast areas destroyed.
Authorities have launched extensive relief operations, evacuating 932,323 people to safer locations. A total of 390 flood relief camps and 389 medical camps have been established across the affected districts. Displaced families are being sheltered in temporary centers set up by the government and aid agencies.
“The scale of devastation is enormous, and relief efforts are ongoing round the clock,” an NDMA spokesperson said, warning that the threat of fresh flooding remains high in the coming days.
