BAHAWALPUR: The Empress Bridge is in danger as it has raised alarms of an impending disaster as the Sutlej River overflows and inundates everything that is coming in its way.
Reports indicate that a staggering discharge of approximately 130,000 cusecs of water is flowing under the bridge.
The Sutlej River continues to devastate villages and flood farmland in parts of Punjab after India released its waters for the fourth time.
The unrelenting amount of water breached several dams in its path and left a trail of destruction in its wake.
Visited relief camp at Sutlej River bank in Attari Village, Okara.
Severe floods hit 107 villages in Sahiwal Division. 82,000 people evacuated, 16,000 in Attari camp only. 36,000 animals saved.
40 boats in action, 11 relief camps in Sahiwal. Rescue teams, District admin… pic.twitter.com/pH0PYMipIa
— Mohsin Naqvi (@MohsinnaqviC42) August 25, 2023
The flood engulfed many villages, displacing thousands of residents and prompting emergency rescue operations.
The force of the floods breached temporary embankments near the banks of the Sutlej River resulting in vast stretches of fertile fields coming underwater, posing a significant threat to the livelihoods of local farmers.
When the flood water in Islam Headworks reached Bahawalpur, the measures taken by the district administration to avert the devastation were negligible.
Almost no provision has been made to accommodate the people who will be displaced by the floods. Many areas of Bahawalpur city are also under severe threat.
The authorities are trying to manage the situation, but the water level continues to rise.
Emergency response teams are working to keep affected residents safe even as they deal with the challenges posed by ongoing flooding.
There are high floods in Kasur, Okara Pakpattan, Vehari Minchanabad, Bahwalnagar and Chishtian. Evacuations continue in flood-affected areas.
Six deaths have been reported during evacuations in recent days. Around 100 villages in Pakpattan district were flooded and 20,000 settlers faced evacuation.
Water released by India in the Sutlej River flooded several villages near Ganda Singhwala.
Reports said that the water level is likely to rise further in the next 10 to 12 hours at Head Ganda Singhwala.
In Minchinabad, floods have created widespread devastation in the Ratika Patan area. The flood surges inundated more than 85 settlements and severed the connection of the municipalities with other parts of the country.
According to the Irrigation Department, flood torrents in the Sutlej River have washed away several dams in three tehsils of Bahawalpur.
At the Head Melasi Siphon, the water level rose to 124,000 cusecs, leaving many villages under water.
The Pakistan Army is doing the evacuation in the low-lying areas of Bahawalpur Division setting up free medical camps and distributing free rations.
The victims are being shifted to safer places in Lodhran, Burewala and Sulaimanki heads.
