• PDMA puts Punjab death toll at 97; 2.45m displaced from 4,500 villages along Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej
• Evacuations continue as overflowing Indus submerges 30 villages in Dadu
• 19 controlled breaches made to save Jalalpur and Alipur; efforts on to plug Shujabad breach
• Flood-hit areas without electricity, cellular coverage; drones used to deliver food to the stranded
LAHORE: Evacuation efforts continued across central and south Punjab as exceptionally high flood levels[1] persist between the Panjnad confluence of Chenab-Ravi-Sutlej and Guddu Barrage in Sindh, creating a severe humanitarian crisis, inundating low-lying areas, displacing large populations, and destroying hundreds of acres of standing crops.
The overflowing Indus has also inundated parts of Sindh, with areas in Dadu and Larkana witnessing widespread displacement in riverine areas.
Residents of flood-hit areas are also facing widespread electricity and mobile service outages, leaving them cut off from authorities and relatives, while trapped by rising waters.
Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabil Javaid said 97 people had lost their lives as Punjab faced the “biggest flood in history”. He reported that 2.45 million people from 4,500 villages along the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers had been affected, and that 1.9m cattle had been moved to safe locations.
The Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) has warned of a very high flood at Head Panjnad, Sidhnai, and Ganda Singh Wala, while high flood levels persist at Head Sulemanki, Head Islam, and Mailsi Syphon.
According to FFD data, released at 1am on Saturday, Punjnad Headworks recorded a flow of 651,572 cusecs, while the outflows at Guddu Barrage were steady at 537,392 cusecs.
Breaches
A total of 19 controlled breaches were carried out on Friday to mitigate the flood threat to Jalapur, Alipur, while efforts to repair the damaged dyke in Shujabad continued in earnest.
In Shujabad, a dyke collapsed at Mouza Dhundwala, flooding several villages and sending water towards the city. The administration and irrigation officials are trying to reinforce the Bakhto Wah canal dyke to protect the town, but several villages have already been submerged.
Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, who toured several flood hit areas on Friday, also visited the breach site and directed officials to seal it.
However, three workers sent to repair the breach in Shujabad were swept away by the rising waters. Two of them were rescued, but their third colleague could not be traced and was feared dead.
Authorities also made controlled breaches on Uch Sharif Road to divert floodwaters away from Jalalpur city, with Multan police chief Sadiq Ali Dogar saying the decision was necessary as pressure on temporary dams was not easing.
In Alipur, the administration breached Seetpur Road at 18 locations to disperse water flowing towards the city, submerging several villages and trapping thousands on rooftops. Here, a rescue boat capsized in Darabpur village when a man tried to climb on it, causing it to lose balance. However, all passengers were rescued.
‘Calamity-hit’ Alipur
Marriyum Aurangzeb also visited Alipur to monitor flood relief operations. She declared Alipur tehsil a calamity-hit area.
People gathered around her to report that six members of a family were missing after a rescue boat capsized in Seetpur. Many residents were stranded on rooftops, and boats were not available for evacuation.
The government also deployed drones in the flood-affected areas of Seetpur city to distribute food items. The drones carried supplies and delivered them to people stranded on rooftops.
Malik Riaz, a resident of Seetpur, told Dawn that he had been without food and water for the last two days and that the drone delivery provided much-needed relief. He added that hand pumps were emitting dirty water, which was unsafe for drinking.
Rescue spokesperson Farooq Ahmad said that 18,130 people have been rescued from Jalalpur Pirwala, 11,700 from Liaqatpur in Rahim Yar Khan, and 6,400 from Alipur. In the last 24 hours across Punjab, 19,946 people were rescued from flood-affected areas, including 1,955 from Bahawalpur, 1,715 from Pakpattan, 1,407 from Lodhran, 830 from Okara, 823 from Bahawalnagar, 659 from Jhang, 585 from Kasur, 558 from Vehari, and 545 from Toba Tek Singh.
Dadu flooding
In Sindh, floods inundated parts of Dadu as the Indus River overflowed near the Dadu-Moro Bridge, submerging more than 30 villages in the riverine areas. The rising waters have displaced large numbers of residents and triggered outbreaks of waterborne and other infectious diseases.
The Health Department, People’s Primary Healthcare Initiative and Rescue 1122 have set up medical camps to provide urgent care.
According to Deputy Commissioner Syed Murtaza Ali Shah, medical camps have been established along the protective embankment, while mobile ambulances are operating to assist the affected population. Boats have also been deployed to help stranded residents. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely and have urged the residents to cooperate with rescue teams and follow precautionary measures.
PM praises relief efforts
Separately, PM Shehbaz Sharif on Friday praised all four chief ministers, as well as the governments of GB and AJK, for carrying out prompt and effective flood relief operations across the country.
The prime minister specially commended his niece, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying: “She is leading from the front.”
Qurban Ali Khushik in Dadu and Syed Irfan Raza in Islamabad also contributed to this report
Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2025
References
- ^ high flood levels (www.dawn.com)