Floods in Punjab claim 51 lives as Panjnad and Sutlej overflow

With rising water levels at major rivers and barrages wreaking havoc in dozens of districts, Punjab’s flood scenario has gotten worse.

Fears of a huge flood wave were heightened at Head Panjnad on Friday when the water flow, which had previously dropped from 310,000 cusecs to 206,000 cusecs, increased once again to 306,000 cusecs.

Increasing water levels in rivers and dams

The Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) reports that Mangla Dam is currently 87% full and Tarbela Dam is 100% full. According to reports, the current levels were:

Tarbela elevation: 1,549.92 ft

1,230.25 ft in Mangla

At 1,981.35 feet, Khanpur

1,751.50 ft in rawal

2,314.80 ft in Samli

Additionally, authorities have verified:

Flooding at Ganda Singh Wala is extremely high.

Extremely high flood levels at Sadhanai, Baloki, and Chenot Bridge

High levels of flooding in Sulemanki, Shahdara, Trimu, and Ravi Siphon

Moderate flooding in Islam, Panjnad, Khanki, Qadirabad, and Mailsi Siphon

Low-level floods at Guddu, Sukkur, Kotri, and Jasar

Additionally, Nallah Palkho (adjacent to the Chenab) faces high-level flooding, while Nallah Ek and Nallah Basantar face medium and low levels respectively.

Crops ruined and villages flooded

Following India’s release of excess water, which caused huge flood relays into Pakistani rivers, the situation has gotten worse. In Sindh, the water flow was recorded at 357,000 cusecs at Guddu Barrage and 327,000 cusecs at Sukkur Barrage.

Floodwaters have broken protective dams in Bahawalpur, Multan, and Shujaabad, submerging villages and destroying crops on millions of acres. In Multan, water reached Sher Shah Toll Plaza after a breach at Zamindar Dam, forcing authorities to erect temporary barriers. The DG Khan National Highway was also flooded in a number of places.

RELATED: Flood alert: Monsoon rains in Punjab to continue till Sept 9

A flood relay of 100,000 cusecs flooded Sutlej, submerging four Bahawalpur tehsils. In Gujarat, floodwaters still choke streets after three days, shutting down markets and offices. Shorkot-Khanewal railway section also remains closed as a flood carrying 260,000 cusecs passed through Sultan Bahu Bridge.

Loss of Lives and Infrastructure
Tragedy has followed the floods, with two youths drowning in Mandi Bahauddin. In Shujaabad’s Basti Gagra, a 200-foot-wide crack in the protective dam allowed water into settlements. At Basti Greywala in Multan, water levels continue to rise.

In Chiniot, rescue teams shifted 25 people to safety, adding to a total of 1,312 rescues so far. Meanwhile, in Khanewal and Uch Sharif, dozens of villages have been submerged, with standing crops destroyed.

Flooding has damaged a 110-kilometer fence along the Indian border, submerging 90 Border Security Force posts inside India as well. The Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers have caused damage to both sides of the border.

According to Irfan Kathia, DG of PDMA Punjab, at least 51 people have lost their lives in Punjab due to the ongoing floods. The government continues relief and rescue operations, but thousands remain displaced, with fears of further damage as water levels keep rising.