ISLAMABAD: Pakistan said on Wednesday floods had killed at least 43 people in the last 10 days and displaced over 1.3 million in the breadbasket province of Punjab, as swollen rivers carried some of the heaviest volumes in years and officials warned the threat of further inundations remained.
More than 3.6 million people have been affected across 3,363 villages after days of heavy monsoon rains and dam releases from upstream India, according to official figures released by the government. Nearly 1.29 million people have been moved to safer areas, with hundreds of relief camps set up across inundated districts in Punjab, Pakistan’s most prosperous province and agricultural heartland.
Nationwide, rains, floods and landslides have killed more than 880 people since late June, reviving memories of Pakistan’s catastrophic 2022 deluges when a third of the country was submerged, 30 million displaced and losses topped $35 billion.
“Severe flooding in the Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers has affected more than 3.63 million people across 3,363 villages,” Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed said in a statement.
“Lives and livelihoods are being protected through timely evacuations and relief efforts, but the situation remains critical.”
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned that a second flood surge was traveling through the Chenab, with peak flows of 548,237 cusecs recorded at Marala Headworks at noon on Sept. 3.
“The wave is expected to reach Khanki at 20:00 hours with 558,237 cusecs, and Qadirabad at 03:00 hours on Sept. 4 with 550,237 cusecs,” the NDMA’s National Emergencies Operations Center said.
The surge is forecast to reach Trimmu by Sept. 8 with 330,226 cusecs, Panjnad by Sept. 11 with 264,980 cusecs, and Guddu Barrage by Sept. 13 at 217,283 cusecs. Administrations in all vulnerable districts have been directed to prepare large-scale evacuations, reinforce embankments and keep emergency services on standby.
Punjab’s disaster authority said the Chenab had swelled by more than 400,000 cusecs in the past eight hours, warning that flows in the Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej were expected to increase further through Sept. 5 due to continued rainfall in upstream catchments.
Officials said the situation remained critical for downstream districts, where embankments were being reinforced and evacuation teams pre-deployed.
Around 655 relief camps have been established in Punjab, sheltering over 11,000 people, alongside 404 medical camps that have treated 26,441 patients.
Floodwaters have battered electricity distribution networks across Punjab, leaving tens of thousands without power in districts such as Jhang and Toba Tek Singh. Restoration work is continuing, with officials saying most repairs should be completed later this week if waters recede.
In Sialkot, a major export hub, the city’s international airport said all flight operations had resumed after precautionary measures were taken.
“The airport is fully operational, and a new shuttle service has been launched for passengers,” spokesperson Muhammad Umair Khan said.
The NDMA said it was working “round the clock under the prime minister’s instructions” in coordination with civil and military institutions, with the National Emergencies Operations Center fully active.
Pakistan is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change, where scientists say rising temperatures are making South Asian monsoon rains heavier and more erratic.
Seasonal downpours provide up to 80 percent of the country’s annual rainfall but also cause regular devastation.
