ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have relocated more than 150,000 people to safer areas after India released large volumes of water into the Ravi and Sutlej rivers, triggering high-level flooding in several districts of Punjab province, officials said on Tuesday.
According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), advance alerts were issued last week warning of a potential flood risk.
The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has launched large-scale evacuation operations in flood-prone districts.
Emergency teams were deployed, and all relevant departments were placed on high alert to protect lives and property, the disaster management authority said.
The NDMA said evacuations included 89,868 residents from Bahawalnagar, 14,140 from Kasur, 2,063 from Okara, 873 from Pakpattan, 361 from Bahawalpur, and 165 from Vehari.
Nearly 40,000 people had already moved to higher ground following initial alerts. Furthermore, more than 17,000 livestock have been shifted to safe areas.
Local media reported that villages near Head Sulemanki and Head Ganda Singh Wala had been inundated, with breaches in protective embankments worsening the situation.
High-level flooding has been confirmed near Bahawalnagar and Kasur, while the Sutlej has overflowed at multiple points, including Head Islam.
In Chishtian, at least 150 houses were damaged, while several villages in Burewala, Arifwala, and Chichawatni were submerged.
Crops have also been destroyed in parts of Farooqabad, Jamlera, Sahooka, Mauza Bhattian Tibbi, Noorarth, and Basti Mengal.
The NDMA reported that 72 villages in Kasur, 75 in Bahawalnagar, 23 in Vehari, 15 in Bahawalpur, and 12 in Pakpattan have been affected so far, impacting more than 45,000 residents.
Relief operations are under way, with 67 camps established across Punjab, including 38 medical facilities that have treated over 2,600 people and 46 veterinary camps for livestock.
Rescue teams have been equipped with 130 boats, 115 outboard motors, 500 workers, and emergency supplies, including tents, mosquito nets, and life jackets.
The Ravi River is also flowing at high levels, with 90,000 cusecs recorded at Jassar and 40,000 cusecs at Shahdara.
The NDMA warned that the river is now at 86 percent capacity, putting low-lying areas of Sialkot, Narowal, and Kasur at risk.
The Indus River is currently in low flood at Kalabagh and Chashma, though officials warned that flows could rise again with fresh monsoon rains.
In Bahawalpur district, authorities reported severe erosion along the Sutlej River near Mari Qasim Shah, where hundreds of acres of farmland have been washed away.
The local administration has issued evacuation orders as water levels at Head Panjnad, where five rivers converge, surged to 106,000 cusecs, raising fears of flooding in surrounding areas including Uch Sharif.
PDMA Director-General Irfan Ali Kathia directed deputy commissioners across Punjab to stay on high alert and finalise emergency measures as per the provincial chief minister’s orders.
He also urged families in flood-prone areas to avoid rivers, drains, and low-lying ground, and to follow safety advisories issued through television, radio, mobile alerts, and the NDMA app.
