The Ravi River’s flow continued to rise steadily on Thursday, with the next twelve hours declared highly critical.
The high-level flood triggered mass evacuations from the affected belt. More than 500 families were shifted to safer places by authorities.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), 180,000 cusecs of water was passing through Shahdara. The volume may surge to nearly 200,000 cusecs in the coming hours.
The Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers overflowed in several districts of Punjab, inundating villages, submerging crops, and breaking multiple small dams.
At least eleven people lost their lives due to roof collapses and drowning caused by the fast-rising waters.
Qadirabad headworks under severe pressure
The flood situation worsened after India released additional water coupled with heavy rainfall across Punjab’s rivers and streams.
PDMA officials warned that pressure at Qadirabad headworks on the Chenab River had reached alarming levels. The flow touched 996,000 cusecs, nearly 200,000 cusecs above its design capacity of 800,000.
“There is a risk of a breach on the left bank,” PDMA Punjab Director General Irfan Ali Kathia cautioned. He added that any breach would inundate Hafizabad and Chiniot.
Deputy commissioners across the province were instructed to evacuate vulnerable populations. Authorities meanwhile reinforced embankments to prevent collapse.
In Kasur, many villages were completely submerged. Emergency teams rescued residents and relocated them to safer sites.
Embankment breached in Shakargarh
At Balloki headworks, the Ravi River reached a dangerously high level. In Shakargarh, an embankment breach at Bhiku Chak submerged multiple villages.
Sirens warned nearby residents as authorities moved 500 families out of the flood zone.
Meanwhile, water levels in the Sutlej River also rose at Lodhran. In Chiniot, the situation turned critical, forcing officials to safeguard the city’s historic bridge. Preparations for potential breaches were completed.
At Khanki headworks, water volume exceeded one million cusecs. Floodwaters entered Wazirabad’s residential areas, damaging homes and property. Standing crops in Mandi Bahauddin and Gujranwala were completely submerged.
Over 2,000 people rescued
The Sutlej’s inflow continued to increase, with a moderate flood recorded at Sulemanki headworks.
In Bahawalnagar, villages along the river belt were submerged, displacing thousands. Strong currents damaged roads and weakened several protective embankments.
Rescue teams reported that more than 2,000 people stranded in floodwaters had been shifted to safe locations. The district administration set up eighteen relief camps for displaced families.
In Sargodha, officials confirmed the evacuation of 2,500 residents along with 1,700 livestock.
