Over 4,000 villages, 4.2m people suffer in Punjab floods

LAHORE: A damage assessment report on the recent flooding in Punjab’s three major rivers Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab has been released.

According to the report, more than 4,300 villages were affected, impacting nearly 4.2 million people across Punjab. At least 60 people lost their lives in drowning incidents during the floods.

The Relief Commissioner of Punjab, Nabeel Javed, said around 2.1 million people were evacuated to safer locations, while 412 relief camps and 492 medical camps have been established in the flood-hit districts. Additionally, 432 veterinary camps have been set up to safeguard livestock.

On the water storage situation, Javed noted that Mangla Dam is filled up to 88 percent of its capacity, while Tarbela Dam has reached 100 percent capacity.

Across the border, India’s Bhakra Dam is at 90 percent, Pong Dam at 99percent, and Thein Dam at 97 percent capacity.

Read More: Death toll surpasses 900 as torrential rains, floods devastate Pakistan

Earlier, the Flood Forecasting Division had reported a dangerous rise in water flow across major rivers of Punjab, with several points experiencing very high flood levels.

In the Chenab River, water flow at Head Marala has reached 84,000 cusecs, while at Head Khanki and Qadirabad, the flow stands at 145,000 cusecs each. At Chiniot, around 95,000 cusecs of water is passing through, whereas at Head Trimmu, the flow has surged to 543,000 cusecs, marking an extremely high flood level.

In the Ravi River, water flow at Jassar is 45,000 cusecs, while at Shahdara it has increased to 90,000 cusecs. At Head Balloki, the flow is reported at 139,000 cusecs, and at Head Sidhnai, it is 123,000 cusecs. Shahdara is currently facing a high flood situation, while Balloki and Sidhnai are experiencing an extremely high flood level.

Meanwhile, in the Sutlej River, water flow at Ganda Singh Wala has touched 319,000 cusecs, creating an extremely high flood threat. At Head Sulemanki, the flow is 135,000 cusecs, and at Head Islam, it is 120,000 cusecs.

The situation remains most critical at Head Panjnad, where the water flow has risen to 564,000 cusecs, according to the Flood Forecasting Division.