Punjab is facing a worsening flood crisis as strong waves in the Ravi and Sutlej rivers have submerged dozens of villages, forcing mass evacuations and displacing thousands of people along with their livestock.
Despite a slight decrease in water flow at some points, the situation remains far from normal.
Flood situation along Ravi River
In Nankana Sahib, an extremely high flood was recorded at Head Balloki, where water flow reached 223,000 cusecs, inundating nearby villages, including Nathe Jagir, Gaga Sarai, Kamukil, and Ojla Gaon. More than 6,000 people and 12,000 animals have been shifted to safer locations.
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Authorities have set up relief camps and tent settlements to accommodate victims, with the Punjab government providing food and clean drinking water three times a day. However, residents continue to face hardships due to lack of transport, making evacuation efforts more challenging.
Rising waters impact Shahdara, Tandlianwala, Sahiwal
Floodwaters have also surged downstream. At Shahdara, the Ravi River carried 138,000 cusecs, while 211,000 cusecs passed through Balloki and 78,000 cusecs through Jassar. In Tandlianwala, a flood wave of 180,000 cusecs inundated standing crops on thousands of acres, rescuing more than 190 people and shifting them to a safe place.
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In Sahiwal, the Aurangabad embankment was breached, putting 5,000 residents at risk as 160,000 cusecs of water entered farmlands. Authorities have warned villagers to evacuate immediately to prevent further loss.
Here is an aerial view of the some of the devastation caused by the super floods in my Narowal District. River Ravi, Nala Dek, Nala Basanter, and Nala Baein have overflowed, submerging vast fields of rice and turning them into pools of water. Thousands of poor farmers have lost… pic.twitter.com/4Un9TFKL6c
— Ahsan Iqbal (@betterpakistan) August 30, 2025
Sutlej River floods Kasur, Lodhran, Bahawalpur
The Sutlej River continues to pose a severe threat. At Kasur’s Ganda Singh Wala, all villages along the zero line have been submerged, forcing more than 10,000 residents to evacuate. Rescue teams, aided by police, continue operations despite heavy rainfall hampering relief efforts. Local fishermen have also started migrating to safe places.
Heavy rains in and around Kasur have hampered relief efforts, while the residents who refused to evacuate were persuaded otherwise.
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In Lodhran, around 55,000 cusecs of water swept through villages, destroying crops and damaging property. Residents expressed frustration over the lack of protective measures, reporting shortages of drinking water and electricity in makeshift camps.
In Bahawalpur, officials warned that 112 villages across 162,000 acres are at risk, with more than 170,000 people potentially affected. So far, over 20,000 residents and nearly 13,000 animals have been moved to safer locations.
In view of the high flood in the Sutlej River, the number of highly sensitive areas has been increased from 33 to 79, while 19 localities were declared medium risk and 14 low risk areas.
Authorities urge caution
Rescue officials have urged residents to stay away from riverbanks and flood-hit areas until water levels recede. Despite ongoing evacuations and relief work, the crisis is far from over, with more rainfall expected in the coming days.
The provincial government has assured that additional facilities will be provided in camps as the number of victims rises, but locals continue to call for better arrangements to protect lives, crops, and livestock from further devastation.
