Massive flooding has forced the evacuation of nearly 200,000 people across Pakistan’s Punjab province after disaster authorities warned of “exceptionally high” water levels along the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers. Rescuers, aided by the army in several districts, have been using boats to carry stranded residents and livestock to safety as torrential monsoon rains continue to batter the region.
The flooding intensified following a rare warning from India that it would release water from major upstream dams after its own reservoirs were overwhelmed by heavy rains. The move has exacerbated flood risks downstream in Pakistan, devastating villages and urban areas in the country’s most populous province.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured that the federal government would fully support regional authorities, especially in protecting urban centers like Gujarat, Sialkot, and Lahore. Sialkot recorded its heaviest rainfall in 49 years within just 24 hours, leaving cars, homes, and buildings submerged. Many residents remain stranded, according to federal planning officials.
Emergency crews report that more than 32,000 people have been rescued from inundated areas so far, though thousands remain reluctant to evacuate. “I can’t afford to leave again,” said Nadeem Ahmad, a farmer from Kasur district, pointing to his cattle and winter hay supply already in use. Similar sentiments are echoed by many villagers who, despite rising waters, prefer to stay behind to protect their livelihoods.
The BBC documented evacuations in Kasur, where the overflowing Sutlej River submerged homes and destroyed protective walls. Families huddled in rescue boats, with women clutching infants as they navigated fast-flowing brown floodwaters. Yet, about half of one village’s 3,000 residents reportedly refused to leave, reflecting the deep economic vulnerability in a country where over 40% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Since June, monsoon rains have killed more than 800 people in Pakistan. Across the border, India too has been hit hard, with landslides in Indian-administered Kashmir killing at least 30 people near the Vaishno Devi shrine.
As both nations grapple with extreme weather, the flooding highlights the shared climate challenges facing South Asia, where millions remain at the mercy of intensifying monsoon seasons.
