Key Points:
- Over 2.4 million people displaced; 41 deaths confirmed in Punjab’s “worst flood ever.”
- Authorities forced to open Rawal Dam spillway as reservoirs reach dangerous limits.
- Urban flooding alerts issued for Lahore, Gujranwala, and Gujrat amid heavy rains.
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s heartland Punjab province is in the grip of a worsening flood crisis that officials say could be the worst in the province’s history, as swollen rivers and overfilled dams threaten millions of people, livestock, and farmland across central and southern Pakistan.
The Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers are surging to what authorities classify as “very high” and “exceptionally high” levels, inundating villages and forcing mass evacuations. Adding to the crisis, authorities were compelled to open the spillway of different dams late on Monday and early Tuesday after water levels rose beyond safe limits, a decision that could worsen flooding downstream.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), more than 2.4 million people and 600,000 animals have already been displaced, while at least 41 lives have been lost. Rescue officials say they are conducting the largest-ever relief operation in Punjab’s history, with nearly 390 camps and tent cities set up to shelter affected families.
India’s water release heightens crisis
Officials in Lahore said the situation escalated further after India released floodwaters from the Harike and Ferozepur headworks, sending fresh surges into Pakistan’s Sutlej River. “These are extraordinary circumstances created by India’s releases,” Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari told reporters, adding that authorities were on extraordinary preparedness mode to mitigate the impact.
🚨 India opens all gates of Salal Dam. Flood warning in river Chennab issued again in Pakistan in next 24-36 hours. pic.twitter.com/8nKckhbn5k
— South Asia Index (@SouthAsiaIndex) August 30, 2025
At Ganda Singh Wala, the Sutlej is flowing at an “exceptionally high” level with over 253,000 cusecs, and nearly one million cusecs are forecast to converge at Panjnad between September 4 and 5.
The Chenab, meanwhile, recorded a massive 532,000 cusecs at Trimmu, with projections rising to 700,000 cusecs, while the Ravi is also surging dangerously at multiple headworks.
Infrastructure under pressure
To protect major cities, engineers are preparing to breach embankments at vulnerable points such as Sidhnai and Head Muhammad Wala, a last resort that could submerge entire villages and destroy thousands of acres of farmland. Officials said at least 30 villages and more than 30,000 acres may be sacrificed if breaching becomes unavoidable.
In the past two days, Engineer troops from Pakistan Army along with the Irrigation Dept of Punjab successfully managed the most severe flood battle in the history of Qadirabad Headworks on River Chenab.
Despite the barrage being designed for 800,000 cusecs, it withstood a… pic.twitter.com/kKQMAxzSGe
— Fidato (@tequieremos) August 29, 2025
“The water has passed through the central Punjab population centres, but the true test of our preparedness is now at Panjnad and the areas beyond,” one senior official said.
Urban flooding alert
While southern Punjab braces for river surges, urban centres are also on edge. The PDMA has issued warnings of urban flooding in Lahore, Gujranwala, and Gujrat, forecasting heavy downpours in the next 72 hours. Meteorologists said a “well-marked monsoon low” over northern India and a strong westerly trough could bring widespread heavy rain across catchments feeding Pakistan’s eastern rivers.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has urged residents of low-lying areas to evacuate immediately. “The combined effect of river surges, dam releases, and torrential rains poses an unprecedented challenge,” the authority said in a statement.
NOW: An aerial view currently reveals the devastating impact of floods in Park View City, Lahore, Punjab Pakistan.
Additional: In the past two days, 11 people have lost their lives in Sialkot, Punjab. Across Pakistan, more than 800 people have died since late June. pic.twitter.com/yP22ic5iTA
— Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) August 29, 2025
It confirmed the National Emergency Operations Centre is functioning around the clock and coordinating with both civilian and military institutions.
Displacement on a massive scale
Rescue 1122 officials said more than 3,100 villages and 2,900 revenue estates have been affected across Punjab, making this the most widespread flood in recent years.
Entire families have been forced into makeshift shelters, while thousands of animals have been relocated with support from the provincial Livestock Department.
Government response
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed federal and provincial authorities to remain on high alert, with the military placed on standby to support relief efforts. The NDMA has urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel in flood-hit areas and to keep emergency kits including food, water, and medicines, ready.
Officials warn that the crisis is far from over, with floodwaters expected to peak in the coming days. “This is not just a natural disaster; it is a test of our state’s resilience,” said PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia. “Timely decisions have saved lives so far, but the scale of this flood is unlike anything Punjab has faced before.”
Climate crisis at the core
Pakistan is among the top 10 countries most vulnerable to climate change, yet contributes less than 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Intensifying monsoon cycles, melting Himalayan glaciers, and erratic rainfall patterns have increased the frequency of extreme weather. The current deluge, following deadly floods in 2010 and 2022, underscores the climate emergency confronting the country.
India-Pakistan water tensions
The crisis also revives old tensions between Pakistan and India over shared rivers. While both countries are bound by the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, Islamabad has long accused New Delhi of failing to share timely data on water releases.
The Punjab government’s assertion that India’s sudden Sutlej releases created “extraordinary circumstances” reflects lingering mistrust between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
The human cost
Ultimately, it is Pakistan’s poorest communities who bear the brunt, farmers losing crops, families displaced into makeshift camps, and children cut off from schools and healthcare. With over 2.4 million people displaced in Punjab alone, the humanitarian toll will extend far beyond the monsoon season.
The floods are a stark reminder that Pakistan’s battle is not only against rising waters, but also against a changing and fragile governance systems. Unless systemic reforms are made, experts warn, such “once-in-a-century” disasters may soon become the norm.
