Massive Flooding Triggers Punjab’s Largest-Ever Rescue Operation

Punjab is experiencing one of its worst flood disasters in recent history. High-level floods in Rivers Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab have inundated vast areas, forcing the evacuation of more than 200,000 people from central districts including Lahore, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Narowal and Faisalabad within the past 24 hours. According to the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the situation has worsened due to excessive monsoon rainfall in the northern regions and water release from India. Authorities warn that water levels could rise further as the province braces for additional rainfall in the coming days.

PDMA Issues Alert for Ninth Monsoon Spell
The PDMA has sounded an alarm for the ninth monsoon spell, predicting heavy rains and thunderstorms across most parts of Punjab between August 29 and September 2. Forecasts indicate severe weather conditions in Rawalpindi, Murree, Galiyat, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Gujranwala, Lahore, Gujrat, and Sialkot. Southern districts such as Dera Ghazi Khan, Multan, and Rajanpur are also expected to experience intense rainfall.

Unprecedented Relief and Rescue Efforts Underway
Under the directives of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, Punjab has launched its most extensive rescue and relief operation to date. The scale of the disaster is staggering: 769 villages have been affected, displacing more than 601,126 individuals. To provide immediate assistance, the government has set up 263 relief camps and 161 medical camps across flood-hit areas, delivering food supplies, emergency medical care, and temporary shelters.
The rescue operation involves joint efforts from the Pakistan Army, PDMA, Rescue 1122, district administrations, and police. Teams are working around the clock to relocate people and livestock to safe zones, deploying boats and emergency equipment to reach stranded communities.

Districts Worst Affected by Floodwaters
The impact of the floods has been severe along all three rivers. In the Chenab basin, 333 villages have been inundated, affecting over 150,000 people in Sialkot, Wazirabad, Gujrat, Mandi Bahauddin, Chiniot, and Jhang. River Ravi’s overflowing waters have submerged 101 villages, displacing around 70,000 residents in Narowal, Nankana Sahib, Kasur, and Sahiwal. However, the situation is most critical along the Sutlej, where 335 villages and nearly 380,000 people have been impacted in Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, and Bahawalpur. In response, authorities have established 104 relief camps and 105 medical camps in the Sutlej belt alone.

Government Response and Emergency Measures
In a four-hour emergency meeting chaired by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, officials reviewed the ongoing crisis and outlined measures to intensify relief operations. The Chief Minister ordered the deployment of all available resources, including emergency medical facilities in hospitals across affected districts. Military support has been requisitioned in Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Okara, and Sargodha. The province has mobilized 130 rescue boats, 1,300 life jackets, and 245 life rings, while medical camps have already treated over 2,600 victims.

On-Ground Leadership and Humanitarian Commitment
Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz personally visited Shahdara to inspect water levels in River Ravi and review flood protection measures. She emphasized the complete evacuation of vulnerable populations and livestock from risk zones. In a statement, she praised the successful rescue of 25 individuals trapped by floodwaters in Shakargarh, calling the responders “national heroes.” Reaffirming the government’s commitment, she declared: “Rehabilitation of every flood-affected household is my mission. No family will be left without assistance until they return to their homes.”