• Authorities see high risks as Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej filled to brim; Indus at ‘low flood’
• At least 10 districts on high alert as more than 24,000 relocated amid flooding of low-lying areas; heavy rain likely in next two days
• GB villagers await govt help to ease their suffering; three locals rewarded for timely Glof warning; PM likely to visit region tomorrow
LAHORE/GILGIT: As Punjab braces for a “high flood” in almost all eastern rivers prompting mass evacuations, thousands of people affected by glacial and flash floods in Gilgit-Baltistan earlier this month await government’s help amid a shortage of essentials.
Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmad said that more than 24,000 people had been relocated from the low-lying areas of the Indus, Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers since Saturday. These rivers were experiencing low to high flooding due to torrential monsoon rains in the catchment areas and more rain was expected over the next 48 hours.
The evacuation operation was conducted in Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar, Vehari, and Narowal, Mr Ahmad said, as a high alert had been issued in Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar, Vehari, and Narowal in light of a flood alert by India.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) also issued a flood alert in Punjab due to heavy rains. There is a risk of flooding in the upper reaches of these rivers due to heavy rain likely in the next 48 hours. There is a risk of “high to very high” flooding in the Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers, whereas urban flooding was also expected in the Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Gujranwala divisions.
‘High-level flooding’
A high-level flooding warning had been issued at the Harike location of the Sutlej River: the upstream and downstream areas of Harike were facing a high-level flood situation. The water flow in the Sutlej and adjacent rivers would further increase.
There was a low flood situation at Kalabagh and Chashma in the Indus River, while the water flow was at a normal level at Tarbela and Taunsa. There was a high flood situation at Ganda Singh Wala in the Sutlej River and a medium flood at Sulemanki. Similarly, there was a medium flood situation at Marala and Khanki on the Chenab River. About reservoirs, Tarbela Dam was completely full, while Mangla Dam was 76pc. Among the Indian dams, Bhakra was 80pc, Pong 87pc, and Thein Dam was 85pc full.
Separately, the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) issued a flood alert for the River Ravi over the next 48 hours, indicating a medium-level threat. According to hydrological data, sustained moderate to heavy rainfall in the catchments of River Ravi and associated nullahs had resulted in increased inflows at Thein Dam, which had reached 1,717 feet. As of Monday, River Ravi at Kot Naina was discharging 64,000 cusecs and may cause “low to medium” floods at Jassar within 24 hours, with the potential to escalate to high flood levels if additional spillway releases occurred along with continued rainfall activity till August 27.
In light of possible flooding, the PDMA issued instructions to the district administrations concerned to remain alert, while an alert had also been issued to the commissioners of Lahore, Sahiwal, Multan, Bahawalpur and D.G. Khan. The deputy commissioners of Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Lodhran, Bahawalpur, Multan and Muzaffargarh were also put on alert in light of floods.
Meanwhile, the PDMA issued a fact sheet on the monsoon flood situation, including statistics on rains, rivers, dams, and the flood situation.In the last 24 hours, Narowal 27mm, Sialkot 5mm, Kasur 4mm, Lahore and Gujranwala 3mm, while Gujrat and Khanewal recorded up to 1mm of rain.
GB awaits help
Residents in several tehsils of Ghizer remained isolated for the fourth day due to the blockaded Gilgit-Shandur Road — a five-kilometre section of the artery had been submerged in last week’s glacial flood that created an artificial lake in Raushan village in Ghizer.
Mohammad Karim, a resident, said 300 houses damaged by the flash flood had been submerged by the lake, and villagers in Hakis, Thangi, and Raushan remained without basic necessities. The locals complained that they had been uprooted from their homes, but still did not get any relief from the government. The people were living without electricity, potable water, housing, medical facilities and other basic needs, Mr Karim said.
Furthermore, the flood-affected people in Ghizer’s Khalti, Daen, Chaturkhand, and other areas also did not have access to roads and basic facilities.
For almost a month, the residents of remote Hisper Valley in Nagar had been marooned after the road was washed away by floods and landslides. Similarly, the Karakoram Highway near Hassanabad in Hunza remained blocked for the third week and traffic was diverted via an alternative route. The Haramosh and Bagrot valleys in Gilgit were also without road access, causing hardships.
A resident Shahzad Hussain told Dawn that the densely packed areas of Danyor, Sultanabad, and Mohammadabad in Gilgit did not have any water supply for more than a month, leading to a severe shortage of water. Locals said the residents had to purchase tankers daily, which the poor could not afford.
Gilgit-Baltistan Disaster Management Authority (GBDMA) Director General Zakir Hussain, in a statement, said the National Highway Authority’s machinery had been mobilised to clear the Shandur road. He further said that a formal approval had also been obtained for the construction of an alternative route, and work was progressing rapidly. “Under the project, a bypass will be constructed and the road will be connected to the main highway through a bridge…” he added.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif was expected to arrive in GB on Wednesday. According to a statement, a high-level meeting was chaired by GB Chief Secretary Abrara Ahmed Mirza to review the arrangements for the expected visit.
In a separate event at the PM’s House in Islamabad, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif paid tribute to the three local shepherds of Gilgit-Baltistan, who saved hundreds of lives in a nearby village by issuing a timely alert about a glacial lake outburst flood (Glof). The PM met Wasyiat Khan, Insaar and Muhammad Khan, and presented them each a cheque worth Rs2.5 million as a reward for their humanitarian act.
Aamir Yasin in Rawalpindi and Syed Irfan Raza in Islamabad also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, August 26th, 2025