Lahore, Murree and Britain on alert as authorities prepare for floods, melting glaciers and water-related dangers
Vehicles drive on a flooded road following monsoon rains and rising water levels in Sialkot, Punjab province, Pakistan, August 27, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS
LAHORE:
Authorities in Punjab and northern areas have stepped up preparations ahead of the monsoon season, with emergency plans finalized in Lahore, restrictions imposed on hazardous water sites in Murree and new warnings issued about dangers related to melting glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan.
A meeting chaired by Lahore Deputy Commissioner Captain (retd) Muhammad Ali Ejaz reviewed arrangements to deal with possible urban and river flooding during the upcoming monsoon season. The meeting was attended by senior officials of the district administration, Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Metropolitan Corporation of Lahore (MCL), Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA), Rescue 1122, Irrigation Department and other relevant agencies.
Officials reviewed contingency plans for potential flooding and discussed the status of protective embankments, drainage infrastructure and emergency response measures. The Irrigation Department and RUDA briefed the participants about the flood protection embankments, while WASA and MCL described the ongoing drain cleaning and water drainage operations.
WASA informed the meeting that 617 dehydration equipment and 134 disposal stations were fully operational. MCL also presented a plan to keep 70 dehydration teams on high alert in the city’s nine administrative zones.
Rescue 1122 presented its water rescue and emergency response plan, while Civil Defense said 139 trained volunteers were ready to respond to any emergency.
The district administration said continuous monitoring was being carried out along 62 kilometers of protective embankments in riparian areas. Security measures have also been completed for 35 settlements located along the Ravi River.
Authorities have set aside 65 relief camps to provide immediate assistance to residents of affected areas.
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The deputy commissioner directed all departments to take preventive and administrative measures before the onset of monsoon rains. He also directed the District Emergency Control Room to remain operational round the clock and emphasized close coordination among all agencies.
On the other hand, the Murree district administration imposed Section 144 in places with dangerous waters to prevent drowning incidents. A notification prohibited swimming, bathing and recreational activities in waterfalls, dams, streams and other dangerous water bodies.
Public access has been restricted at Bansra waterfall, Bansra dam, Samli dam and other identified locations. The administration said stricter security measures had been introduced following recent rains and a series of drowning incidents in which three youths lost their lives at different places in a week.
Under Section 144, gatherings and recreational activities on the water have been prohibited for 30 days starting June 6. Authorities warned that legal action would be taken against violators and urged tourists and residents to stay away from places with dangerous waters.
The government has also advised people not to reside in dilapidated or structurally unsafe buildings during the monsoon season, warning that such structures could pose serious risks to human life during heavy rains.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued an alert for Hispar village in Nagar district, where melting glaciers have led to riverbank erosion and landslides. According to the alert, rising water levels related to accelerated melting of glaciers has disrupted access beyond the main Nagar Chowk area.
The NDMA said rising temperatures have accelerated the melting of glaciers in Britain. Water flow and river levels continue to rise due to the melting of the Hispar-Hopper glacier system, raising concerns about increased erosion and landslides in vulnerable areas.
According to the latest weather outlook, mainly hot and dry conditions are expected in most districts of Punjab on Sunday, with very hot weather likely in southern parts of the province. Kashmir is expected to remain partly cloudy, while isolated rain and gusty winds affected parts of central Punjab and Kashmir during the last 24 hours.
