Raging riverine flooding claims at least 25 lives in Punjab

LAHORE: Riverine flooding in Punjab has claimed at least 25 lives, as devastating floods caused by unusually heavy monsoon rains and upstream discharge of water by India in Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers.

Flooding claimed lives of five members of a family in Sambarial in Sialkot district. Floods claimed 15 lives in Gujranwala division, four deaths in Gujrat, three in Narowal and two persons in Hafizabad district of Punjab.

Flooding wreaked havoc in various districts as hundreds of villages submerged in Kasur, Narowal and Pindi Bhattian, leaving thousands of people homeless.

Raging floodwaters swept away hundreds of cattle and destroyed thousands of acres crops. In Bahawalnagar several houses drowned in water.

Floodwater of Chenab River entered in dozens of the villages in Chiniot and Wazirabad.

According to the Flood Forecasting Division, the River Ravi at Shahdara, Punjab has reached to a dangerous level with a flow of around 145,000 cusecs, while at Jassar it recorded 152,000 cusecs. The Lahore Commissioner said the peak flow has now passed and the water level is expected to recede, adding that the city remains safe and under control.

In the River Chenab, an extremely high flood has been reported at Khanki and Qadirabad barrages with water flows reaching 859,000 and 996,000 cusecs respectively. At Head Marala, the flow is around 191,000 cusecs. Authorities have warned nearby areas to remain vigilant as the situation remains critical.

The River Sutlej is also in high flood at multiple points. At Ganda Singh Wala, the inflow is around 261,000 cusecs, while at Head Sulemanki it is 109,000 cusecs. In Chishtian, six protective embankments have broken due to strong currents, flooding more than 300 villages and destroying crops over 7,000 acres.

Local farmers have built an eight-kilometre-long embankment to protect homes, but officials warn that if it fails, up to 20,000 houses could be at risk.

In Bahawalnagar, the situation has worsened with over 105 villages affected and around 150,000 people hit by the floods. Nearly 90,000 residents have been forced to leave their homes, while many areas remain cut off. Raging waters also damaged temporary dykes, washing away houses and standing crops.