Pakistan is facing a worsening flood crisis as heavy monsoon rains and accelerated glacier melt swell major rivers. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a fresh advisory warning of heightened risks across the country.
Currently, moderate flooding is being reported in the Indus River at Chashma and Taunsa barrages, with low-level flooding persisting at Tarbela, Kalabagh, and Sukkur. The Kabul River near Nowshera remains stable, but inflows from India have worsened flood conditions in the Sutlej, raising water levels at Head Sulemanki and Head Islam. Low flooding is also underway at Ganda Singh Wala and Suleimanki.
While the Jhelum and Chenab rivers remain mostly stable, nullahs Aik and Palkhu have swelled to low flood levels. In the Ravi, conditions are steady, although the Basantar Nullah is experiencing flooding. Hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan have shown little activity, but reservoirs are filling rapidly—Tarbela Dam is now at 99% of its capacity, while Mangla stands at 74%.
Floodwaters are wreaking havoc on communities. In Bahawalpur, the Zamindara Bund near Dera Bikha broke, submerging thousands of acres of crops. Rising water pressure also threatens the Empress Bridge. In Kasur, villages around Ganda Singh Wala have reported severe agricultural losses, while precautionary evacuations have begun in Pakpattan and Arif Wala. In Sindh, over 60 settlements near Tunsa have been submerged, displacing residents in low-lying areas such as Drahma and Ghazi Ghat.
The human toll is mounting rapidly. NDMA confirmed 41 deaths and 11 injuries in the last 24 hours alone, including 29 men, 9 women, and 3 children. Since the start of the monsoon, 748 people have died and 978 have been injured. The breakdown shows 165 fatalities in Punjab, 446 in KP, 40 in Sindh, 45 in Gilgit-Baltistan, 22 in Azad Kashmir, and 8 in Islamabad. Additionally, nearly 1,000 homes have been destroyed and almost 3,900 livestock lost.
The crisis underscores the urgent need for coordinated disaster preparedness and relief efforts as Pakistan braces for further monsoon downpours.
