WEBDESK: Floods have caused severe damage to agriculture in Punjab, with over 2.2 million acres of farmland under water. Rice has suffered the greatest losses.
According to provincial authorities, standing rice on nearly 1 million acres has been damaged. Sugarcane crops on 250,000 acres have also been affected, along with maize and cotton.
In Sindh, the situation is different. Officials say around three percent of the onion crop has been lost. However, unlike Punjab, only the riverine belt in Sindh has been hit. The flood water has not yet crossed the river’s boundaries.
Several districts in Punjab, including Hafizabad, Sialkot, Narowal, Gujranwala, Gujrat, and Multan, may be declared disaster-hit areas. Farmers in these districts could see tax and irrigation charges waived.
At Guddu Barrage, inflows were measured at 605,456 cusecs and outflows at 575,706 cusecs. Sukkur Barrage also recorded high flood levels, with inflows at 571,800 cusecs and outflows at 518,120 cusecs.
In Punjab, a medium-level flood is passing through Head Panjnad on the River Chenab, where the inflow was recorded at 219,434 cusecs and the outflow at 210,884 cusecs.
A medium flood has also been reported at Ganda Singh Wala on the River Sutlej, with a flow of 89,060 cusecs.
In a statement, the emergency service said teams are working day and night to evacuate residents from flood-hit villages. Evacuations are ongoing in Naraja Bhatta, Basti Khan Bela, Basti Jafra, Basti Beth Kech, Basti Ponta, Basti Mahana Sandila, and Basti Kurman Wali.
So far, 22,860 people and 4,130 animals have been shifted to safer locations in Jalalpur Pirwala tehsil. In the last 24 hours alone, 1,396 people and 766 animals were rescued.
Read more: High flood reported at Guddu, Sukkur barrages amid heavy rain forecast
