Lahore/Kasur/Multan:
Punjab, the country’s bread basketball, continued to roll from one of the worst floods in decades on Friday, with three of its large rivers in the “Super Flood” stage and the authorities forced to blow up part of Sutlej Riverbank to save Kasur from being turned off by the rising waters.
At least 28 people have already lost their lives, most of them in the Gujranwala division, beaten by flash floods and urban floods.
Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed that the water level in the top reach of Ravi and Chenab Rivers has begun to retreat. However, downstream streams remain a rising tide.
Meanwhile, River Sutlej has been swollen to its highest level since 1955, causing officials to deliberately break the RRA-1 dam to protect Kasur City.
“Increased water flow from India means that water in Sutlej is rushing to Kasur,” said a PDMA -official, adding, “We are forced to break the Rahimyar damp to save Kasur.”
PDMA also warned of a threatening threat in Okara and Sahiwal and warned that Ravis rising rise could flood Sadani within 36 hours. “When the water level is high at ballloki, problems will arise on the drainage of the drain,” the authority warned.
On Friday, flooding water hit the outskirts of the country’s second largest city, Lahore, and threatened to dip the big city of Jhang, in the worst flood of almost 40 years in that part of the country.
More rain feared
Meanwhile, forecasts Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) fresh rounds with widespread rain, wind and thunderstorms Saturday (today) across multiple regions.
Flash floods, floods of cities and landslides fear in Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir, Islamabad and the Potohar region, while northeastern Balochistan, southeastern Sindh and Gilgit-Baltistan can also be mourned by the evening’s down.
PMD warned that heavy rain could trigger floods in streams and nullahs over northern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Murree, Galliyat, Rawal Pindi, Islamabad and Northeast Punjab, while low -lying areas in cities such as Lahore, Gujranwala and Sialkot are at risk.
Landslides and mud glids can also block roads in hilly channels of KP and Kashmir.
Over 1.4m people hit
The ongoing devastating floods have affected 1.45 million people over 1,769 villages in Punjab, official figures revealed Friday.
According to PDMA, the rivers are Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej in the grip of a super flood and have flooded large earth shards.
In response, 365 emergency camps have been established in flood districts to protect the displaced population.
Authorities said rescue operations have so far evacuated 429,177 people, while more than 300,000 cattle have also moved to a safer reason.
Floodwaters over Punjab’s largest rivers have reached some of their highest levels in decades, with the authorities confirming that the Ravi River’s flow at Lahores Shahdara Point struggled to 220,000 CUSSCS – the largest wave since 1988.
While the water level remains dangerously high in parts of Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab, officials say that Flower at most major main works is currently stable and under control.
A main work is a civil engineering structure – such as a hatch or barrier – built across a river to divert water in a canal or other waterway for irrigation or other purposes
According to the Punjab Irrigation Department, Ravi flows at Jassar at 85,980 CUSSCS, while Shahdara registered 201,400 CUSERCs with levels that are now gradually falling.
At Ravi Siphon, the current lies on 202,428 CUSERCS and shows a downward trend.
Conversely, the water level at Balloki headwork, where the power has reached 151,560 CUSERCS, while Sidhnai’s head works remain stable at 25,478 CUSSCS.
On Sutlej, the flow stays tongue as Ganda Singh Wala registered 261.053 CUSSCS, SULEMANKI 113.124 CUSSCS AND ISLAMS Main works 60,814 CUSSCS – all stable, but under close to guard.
In Chenab, Marala reported a discharge at 116,440 CUSSCS, KHANKI 188.100 CUSSCS AND QADIRABAD 217,375 CUSSCS, with currents described as stable. At the Chiniot Bridge, however, the river carried an extraordinary 842,500 CUSERCs, while Trimmu headworks registered 129,372 CUSSCS.
Lahores Shahdara hit hard
PDMA -Human Director Irfan Ali Kathia confirmed that the massive wave through Lahore Shahdara was the highest since 1988, although the city did not report any loss of life.
He noted that flooding water came in nine places in Lahore but timely rescue operations prevented losses.
More than 147,000 CUSERCS is currently passing through Balloki, with downstream streams expected to merge in Ravi.
Kathia said India continues to release about 80,000 CUSSCS from the Madshopur headwork, water that will travel through Shahdara, Chiniot and on to restore Bridge – now described as the government’s “biggest concern”.
He added that officials are considering violating protective dams near Rewas to protect Jhang. Downstream is expected to reach trimmu, head Muhammadwala and eventually the Multan River system.
The situation on Sutlej remains uncertain, with streams over 200,000 CUSERCS, which has been maintained for four consecutive days near Kasur, raising alarms on Sulemanki.
In Wazirabad, the receding fatty tide left mud, buzzing insects and the threat of illness.
Mother of four Nazia Nasir told AFP that the army evacuated his family, who found their house collapsed by their return.
“Everything we owned is in ruins,” said the 40-year-old, clearing the mud away with his bare hands.
“My son has nothing to carry, he walks around in just a t-shirt. The crops we trusted for our livelihood are gone.”
Nasima Bibi was not yet able to return to his submerged home and camped on higher land on the roadside.
“I don’t know what I want to find, but I don’t have any other place to go. The sun has burned my skin, but I can’t leave,” she said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is set to convene an emergency meeting with provincial chief ministers and the leaders of all relevant institutions on a strategy of dealing with climate change and future floods, the government announced in a speech on X.
“A strategy is formulated for the construction of water reservoirs in all four provinces, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan and for better water management,” the position reads, adding that these reservoirs would be built with cooperation from all provinces.
“Climate change is a reality, and only through effective preparation for it can the damage from natural disasters be prevented,” the post read. All four provinces, Azad Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and Federation must work together to protect people from the harmful effects of climate change.
“This is a national subject that everyone has to work together.”
