South Punjab is reeling from severe flooding as residents climbed rooftops and treetops to escape rapidly rising waters in low-lying areas.
The Chenab basin has been hit hardest, with widespread inundation prompting provincial authorities to declare emergencies and warn that additional floodwater will flow into the Indus River between Monday and Tuesday night.
Emergency declared in Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujaabad
Raging floodwaters breached embankments near Jalalpur Pirwala, submerging dozens of villages and prompting authorities to declare emergencies in both Jalalpur Pirwala and Shujaabad.
Fears escalated that the Chenab River could overwhelm protective levees, leading to a full evacuation order for Jalalpur Pirwala town.
Police, Rescue 1122, and local volunteers worked tirelessly, going door-to-door to guide families to safer ground while clearing routes for ambulances and rescue boats.
Floods devastate multiple districts
A second wave of flooding along the Chenab inundated over 300 villages in Jhang district, while major embankment breaches in Muzaffargarh’s Azmatpur area forced more than 7,000 residents to flee.
The Sutlej River overwhelmed defenses near Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar, pushing water into feeder canals and drains.
Late-season crops, including fodder and cotton, suffered heavy losses as fields across river belts were submerged.
Vehari and other severely affected areas
In Vehari district, a high-level flood on the Sutlej engulfed over 185 villages and 90 settlements.
An embankment failure in the Akbar Shah area of Luddan submerged more than 1,500 homes. District authorities reported over 75,000 people affected and thousands of acres of crops damaged.
In Kasur, 130 villages were underwater, impacting more than 100,000 residents.
Chiniot faced similar devastation, with over 100 villages cut off from road access due to failed bands and link roads.
Intensified rescue efforts amid rising toll
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported over 4,000 rescue operations, successfully relocating 2.4 million people to safety.
Additional boats and drones have been deployed to monitor vulnerable areas and guide rescue convoys.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) noted that the Chenab basin remains the epicenter of the crisis, with 1,578 villages and over 1.65 million people affected.
The Chenab flooding has claimed 36 lives, while five deaths were linked to the Ravi.
Punjab’s death toll since June stands at 244, with a nationwide monsoon toll of 922, including 12 in the last 24 hours, seven of which occurred in Multan’s rural belts due to flash floods.
River gauges signal ongoing danger
On Monday, river gauges recorded alarming levels: The Chenab reached approximately 543,000 cusecs at Head Trimmu. While, the Sutlej hit 319,000 cusecs at Ganda Singh Wala, and the Ravi rose to 139,000 cusecs at Head Balloki.
Inflows and outflows at Head Punjnad exceeded 600,000 cusecs before draining into the Indus.
The PDMA warned that Multan remains at high risk for the next 48 hours as pressure mounts at Head Muhammadwala and Shershah embankments.
Urgent weather alert for Punjab
The National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) issued an urgent advisory forecasting heavy rainfall over the next 12 to 24 hours.
Intermittent showers are expected in northeastern and southern Punjab, including Gujranwala, Sialkot, Lahore, Hafizabad, Faisalabad, Chiniot, and Sargodha.
Heavy downpours are likely in Multan, Layyah, Khanewal, Vehari, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Khanpur, Rajanpur, Liaqatpur, Zahir Pir, Sadiqabad, and Rahim Yar Khan.
Urgent weather alert for Sindh
Southern Sindh faces strong winds and heavy rain in Thatta, Badin, Tharparkar, Mithi, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tando Adam, Hyderabad, and Karachi.
While lighter showers are expected in upper and central Sindh districts like Sukkur, Larkana, Shaheed Benazirabad, Khairpur, Dadu, Jacobabad, Kashmore, and Jamshoro.
Urgent weather alert for Balochistan
In Balochistan, districts including Zhob, Loralai, Sibi, Dera Bugti, Sui, Khuzdar, Awaran, Barkhan, and Lasbela are under watch.
Residents are urged to avoid riverbanks, downed wires, and flooded underpasses, while families near katcha belts should relocate early, prepare emergency kits, and follow updates from PDMA and district control rooms.
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