Multan/Lahore:
Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO) has suspended the electricity supply to more than 113,000 consumers in 13 districts in South Punjab as a precautionary measure following an increase in flood levels.
According to officials, electrical supply from 151 feed has been disconnected at the transformer level under safety standard operating procedures (SOP) to prevent accidents and protect life.
In the Sahiwal district, the power supply to 15,610 consumers on nine feed was cut off due to flooding. The supply to 7,685 consumers has been restored after the flood water was withdrawn.
In Bahawalpur, 10,987 consumers on 22 feed were also affected.
Similarly, 13 feed in Lodhran with 924 consumers, 13 in Pakpattan with 6,167 consumers and five in Rahim Yar Khan with 1,509 consumers turned off.
The situation was also critical in Vehari, where 23,395 consumers on 15 feed have been discontinued.
Other affected districts include Khanewal with 20,933 consumers on 14 feed, Bahawalnagar with 6,992 consumers on 20 feed, Rajanpur with 124 consumers on two feed, dera Ghazi Khan with two consumers on a feeder, Muzaffargarh with 10,114 consumers on 20 feed, and kot adds to 275 consumers.
Flooding camps have been created by MEPCO in all districts, led by SDOS and XENS, with line staff working around the clock.
Teams monitored flood levels and remained on duty to respond to any emergencies and restore electricity as soon as conditions improved, MEPCO added.
According to Punjab -Nut Help Commissioner Nabeel Javed, more than 4.15 million people over 4,150 villages have been affected by flooding in Ravi, Sutlej.and Chenab Rivers. Of these, over two million people have been moved to safe areas, while the rescue effort is in progress in severely flooded regions. An official report confirms the loss of 56 lives so far.
Standing crops on thousands of hectares have been destroyed, especially in Bahawalnagar, Multan.and Kabirwala. In Bahawalnagar, 143 villages were submerged and forced over 100,000 inhabitants to migrate. Similar destruction has been reported in Kabirwala, where flooding water from Ravi immersed 40 villages, leaving more than 80,000 people homeless. Fautorities has established 423 emergency relief camps, 512 medical camps and 432 veterinary camps across affected districts. Alongside the evacuation of humans, more than 1.5 million livestock has also been moved to safer locations. In Multan’s Jalalpur Pirwala Tehsil, the worst hit area is due to its location at the confluence of Sutlej and Chenab Rivers, over 50 villages flooded.
Multan City Police Officer (CPO) Sadiq Ali confirmed that 14 army boats, eight boats from rescue 1122 and five hired by police dealing with the rescue mission, which brought the total amount to 27 boats. In Manga Mandi, Rescue changed 1122 teams nine people caught in Ravi Floodwaters in safety.
The protective dives in Kahror Pakka, Rathanwala, Mochiwala.And Dera Dilawar have collapsed, allowing water to quickly flow against populated areas.
In Bahawalnagar and Chishtian, violations of temporary dams built by the local cut off dozens of villages from cities nearby.
The situation aggravated after a dyke in Alipur gave space and submerged further settlements.
With a fresh rain form, authorities fear several releases from Indian dams, which can aggravate the crisis downstream of Punjab.
Flood Forecast Division reported extremely high streams of water: 543,000 CUSERCs at Trimmu and 489,000 CuseCs at Panjnad in Chenab, 152,000 CUSSCS at Baloki in Ravi, and a very high flood at Sutlej’s Ganda Singh Wala Point. High -level floods have also been registered in Shahdara, Sadhanai and Head Sulemanki.
