KEY POINTS
- 4 million were relocated from Punjab alone
- Pakistan is currently experiencing the last monsoon spell of the season
- Floods have affected over 4 million people, submerged thousands of villages
- Water from Punjab has entered Sindh via the Indus River, raising levels at Guddu, Sukkur, and Kotri barrages
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik on Thursday said that authorities have evacuated 2.5 million people and relocated them to safe zones as the devastating monsoon floods killed around 932 people nationwide since late June.
Briefing to foreign diplomats in Islamabad about the flood situation as well as relief and rescue efforts in the country, the minister said the last spell of the monsoon will end in the next few days, and all arrangements have been made to manage water flows at different locations.
It takes time for water to reach Sindh, but since August 25 till today, there have been constant reports about how much floodwater there is,” the minister said.
“We will do whatever we can to protect our people and children. God forbid there is destruction, but if there’s a disaster in Pakistan, we will not compromise.
“We are all standing together; we have stood with the Punjab government, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. We are one voice, one soul, and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Sindh.”
The minister said the Prime Minister has sought a plan for 300 days in the next fifteen days, adding that around 2.5 million people have so far been evacuated from the flood-hit areas.
He said the federal and provincial governments, the armed forces, relief agencies, and the welfare organisations are undertaking relief and rescue operations in the flood-affected areas across the country.
2.4 million people relocated in Punjab
Chairman National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, in his remarks, said that 2.4 million people have been evacuated from Punjab and relocated to safe zones.
“Once the water recedes, we will start rehabilitation work on over 5,000 villages and fields,” he said.
“It will take some time, around four to five weeks, for the water to dry. Once roads, communications, and infrastructure are improved, the rehabilitation work will start.”
He highlighted NDMA’s coordinated measures with provincial and regional disaster management authorities, the deployment of relief items, and the role of technology in monitoring weather patterns and ensuring timely assistance.
Other wings of NDMA also shared their respective actions in managing the ongoing monsoon floods.
150,000 people evacuated in Sindh: NDMA chairman
Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik said that currently, 150,000 people have been relocated to safe zones. “This number may rise over the coming days,” he said.
“The (Sindh) PDMA, Rescue 1122, and the Sindh government are working according to our instructions.
“These are the early warnings we shared some weeks ago with the relevant authorities and both provincial governments,” he added. “For the nation, this is an early warning: that these events will become far more intense with time, like the hill torrents in the northern areas.”
Last monsoon spell
NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider Malik stated that Pakistan is currently passing through the final monsoon spell of the season. He noted that floodwaters moving southward have begun to “lose steam” over the past two days.
“The water in our rivers arrived in two waves,” he explained. “The first is now impacting Guddu Barrage, while the second is at Panjnad. Based on current assessments, we expect the situation to stabilise within the next two to three days.”
دریائے چناب میں پنجند کے مقام پر انتہائی اونچے درجے کا سیلاب برقرار#FFDReport #FloodUpdate #PakistanRivers #IndusRiver #ChenabRiver #JhelumRiver #KabulRiver #RaviRiver #SutlejRiver #FloodAlert #WaterDischarge #Panjnad #TarbelaDam #ManglaDam #FloodForecasting pic.twitter.com/wIQUCDQgu8
— Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) September 11, 2025
Floodwaters enter Sindh
The floodwaters that wreaked havoc in Punjab have now entered the Indus River, causing a rapid increase in water levels at the Guddu and Sukkur Barrages.
According to the Pakistan Meteorological Department, over the past 24 hours, the water levels at both barrages have risen by thousands of cusecs.
The latest data shows that the inflow at the Guddu Barrage stands at 502,861 cusecs, while the outflow is 407,970 cusecs.
At the Sukkur Barrage, the inflow is 440,985 cusecs, and the outflow is 412,735 cusecs. The Kotri Barrage has an inflow of 257,754 cusecs and an outflow of 254,354 cusecs.
The rising water levels in the Indus River have inundated several areas in the riverine region, with floodwaters entering numerous villages.
The administration and relevant agencies have stepped up their rescue operations to evacuate affected communities.
In the River Sutlej, high-level flooding continues at Ganda Singh Wala, where the water flow currently exceeds 182,000 cusecs. It should also be noted that India has been continuously releasing water into the Sutlej for the past three days.
