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By Dr. Saeed Ahmad Ali
LAHORE, Aug 31 (APP): Relentless monsoon rains have unleashed a devastating wave of floods across Punjab, as the Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab and seasonal rivulets overflow, displacing millions and threatening major urban centers. Officials are calling it an “unprecedented hydrological crisis,” with several river sites now crossing or nearing critical flood levels.
The Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) confirmed that mass evacuations are underway as downstream districts brace for rising waters. In a coordinated operation, the Pakistan Army, Punjab Police, and Rescue-1122 teams are spearheading rescue efforts across flood-hit regions, working round the clock to safeguard lives and property.
According to government sources, more than 15,000 police officers and personnel, including female officers, have been deployed in the ongoing operation. Equipped with 700 vehicles and 40 boats, police units alone have shifted over 90,700 people to safety, among them 38,130 men, 27,418 women, and 25,176 children. In addition, more than 82,200 livestock stranded in inundated villages have also been relocated to secure ground.
The Pakistan Army has played a pivotal role in flood management, carrying out controlled breaches of protective dykes along the Chenab near Qadirabad headworks in Mandi Bahauddin. The measure, though sacrificing thousands of acres of farmland, was deemed necessary to safeguard barrages, bridges, and heavily populated districts, including Jhang, Hafizabad, Sheikhupura, Nankana, and Kasur. Military engineers, assisted by local administration, are also reinforcing embankments in vulnerable locations to prevent further damage.
Drone surveillance technology has been deployed to identify stranded families in Sahiwal and suburban areas, allowing timely rescue. In Sheikhupura, emergency embankments successfully prevented the flooding of dozens of villages, saving hundreds of families, agricultural land, and livestock. Flood relief and medical camps are also fully operational, providing displaced communities with shelter, food, clean water, and emergency healthcare.
Punjab Inspector General of Police has ordered all police units to intensify rescue and relief efforts. Brave female officers have been actively involved in evacuating women and children, with several personally assisting in the transport of elderly and ailing victims. The morale of rescue workers remains high despite the grueling conditions, as round-the-clock shifts continue in multiple districts.
The PDMA has warned that the next two days are critical, as heavy rainfall in India’s Madhya Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh catchment areas is expected to push additional floodwaters into Pakistan. Officials fear that if India releases an additional 300,000 cusecs into the Sutlej, areas around Lahore and its outskirts could face massive devastation. Already, localities such as Mohlanwal on Multan Road have been inundated, forcing emergency evacuations as water entered residential homes.
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia confirmed that “very high to exceptionally high floods” are expected to persist in the Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala, while the Chenab at Trimmu and Panjnad is likely to attain exceptionally high flood levels through September 3. He added that emergency control rooms remain fully active under the instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, with all provincial departments — health, irrigation, agriculture, forests, transport, and livestock — working in close coordination.
Despite the overwhelming scale of the disaster, timely interventions by security agencies and rescue workers have already saved hundreds of lives and prevented greater loss. Authorities remain on high alert, as Punjab faces one of the most dangerous flood scenarios in recent history.