Schools closed indefinitely in several Punjab districts due to floods

LAHORE: The civil administration on Wednesday announced the closure of schools in several flood-hit districts of Punjab to ensure the safety of students and staff.

According to officials, all public and private schools in Sialkot, Narowal, Gujrat, Pasrur will remain closed from August 27 until further review.

Deputy Commissioner Sialkot Saba Asghar Ali issued a notification stating: “In order to ensure the safety of students, teachers, and staff amid torrential rains and the resulting flood situation, all public and private schools (Primary, Middle, High, and Higher Secondary) in District Sialkot shall remain closed on August 27, 2025. The closure will remain in effect until further review.”

The notification directed heads of educational institutions to suspend all on-campus academic and co-curricular activities during this period.

The order, issued in the public interest, stressed strict implementation by all concerned authorities. Residents were also advised to stay indoors, avoid unnecessary travel, and refrain from going near rivers and streams due to the heightened flood risk.

The districts authorities have also declared public holiday on Wednesday as flooding intensifies in Gujrat and Sialkot districts of Punjab.

Heavy inflows from India into the Sutlej and Chenab rivers have triggered a flood alert across Punjab. The National Disaster Management Authority’s (NDMA) National Emergency Operation Centre (NEOC) issued an urgent warning of extraordinary flooding in the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers, urging immediate evacuation of residents from vulnerable areas.

According to NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider, more than 190,000 people have been evacuated from flood-affected areas of Punjab as rising water levels continue to threaten lives and property.

Gujrat Deputy Commissioner Noor-ul-Ain Qureshi and Sialkot Deputy Commissioner Saba Asghar Ali visited Head Marala to oversee the situation. Meanwhile, 20 people trapped under Shahbazpur Bridge were successfully rescued, DC Qureshi confirmed.

Mobile phone service has been disrupted across Gujrat, with internet services also reported to be extremely slow and unavailable in several areas.