Multan city is facing high risk of floods as extremely high flood threatens to engulf Jalalpur Pirwala, a tehsil of Multan district.
As per details, the water level in the Chenab River continues to rise, prompting officials to evacuate residents from the city with a population of 500,000.
Multan City Police Officer (CPO) Sadiq Ali Dogar said that low-lying areas of the city had been inundated and could be completely submerged by last night. He, however, assured that evacuations from most areas had been completed.
The police official stated that the water was not moving towards Head Panjnad and could submerge the entire city, and the administration had called in helicopters to rescue people from hard-to-reach areas.
A senior official, on condition of anonymity, said that the government attempted to breach a bund to divert the water, but the villagers did not allow them to do so.
Earlier, Jalalpur Pirwala in Multan was placed on high alert tonight as river levels surged rapidly. The PDMA, Rescue 1122, and the district administration are actively responding on-site.
Nearly two thousand people have already been evacuated to safer locations, with thermal imaging drones deployed to track water paths and enable a swift response through the night.
Emergency operations and leadership
Evacuation efforts are underway under the direct supervision of the Chief Minister of Punjab, with local operations led by the Deputy Commissioner of Multan.
Whereas, control rooms are broadcasting urgent loudspeaker messages across streets and villages to guide residents.
Moreover, boats, loaders, and ambulances are strategically positioned at key points to facilitate rescues. In addition, crews are working tirelessly to seal weak spots along embankments and divert traffic from flooded roads.
Double threat from Chenab and Sutlej
The Chenab River continues to exert immense pressure, while the Sutlej River poses a separate threat from the south, compounding the crisis across South Punjab.
Authorities are issuing urgent announcements, urging families in low-lying areas to evacuate early and avoid traveling at night.
While, severe monsoon spell has begun, affecting Sindh, Balochistan, and southern Punjab, with the potential to drive fresh water flows toward headworks and bands.
Additionally, response teams are closely monitoring water gauges and using drones to detect boils and seepage along embankments to prevent further breaches.
