Punjab Faces Devastating Floods as Rivers Burst Their Banks

Severe flooding from the Indus and Chenab rivers has inundated numerous villages in Pakistan's Punjab province, displacing thousands and damaging vital infrastructure. As floodwaters continue to rise, predictions of further rainfall pose additional threats. Authorities have issued urgent alerts, mobilizing emergency services to manage the escalating crisis.

Floodwaters from the Indus and Chenab rivers have inundated over a dozen villages in Pakistan's Punjab province, forcing thousands to evacuate, as reported by Dawn. In Rajanpur district, floods have ravaged standing crops and submerged low-lying areas, with Indus waters also affecting villages in Taunsa and Dera Ghazi Khan. Notably, in Taunsa, residents fled after a breach in a National Highway Authority-built embankment near the Layyah-Taunsa bridge submerged multiple villages.

In Taunsa, hundreds of residents from Bait Ashraf and Jarh Leghari villages await aid as their homes and roads vanish underwater. As some move to higher ground with scant supplies, the Chenab River's overflow in Jhang district has led to the flooding of more than ten villages, causing severe damage to homes and infrastructure. Meanwhile, in Hafizabad, river erosion has devastated hundreds of acres of farmland, with stagnating rainwater exacerbating conditions in the towns of Hafizabad and Sukheke for over ten days.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department forecasts continued rainfall from July 29-31, warning of low-to-medium-level floods in the Jhelum and Chenab rivers. The department anticipates flash floods in tributaries of the Kabul River and hill torrents in D.G. Khan and Rajanpur, alongside medium levels in the Indus River at Taunsa and Guddu. The Punjab Disaster Management Authority has reported 152 deaths and 539 injuries due to monsoon-related incidents, with contributing factors like electrocution and building collapse. Additionally, the National Disaster Management Authority has issued a fresh alert, urging local authorities to remain vigilant and prepare for incoming rains, particularly in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions.

(With inputs from agencies.)