LAHORE:
The authorities were locked in a fierce battle on Thursday to save Lahore from the growing Ravi, since the waters of the floods increased to dangerous levels in the heads of Shahdara and Balloki, threatening the outskirts of the city and the nearby villages.
With more than one million displaced people and at least 22 people killed throughout the province, the situation has become one of the worst flood emergencies in recent years and has raised a tomb for the administration and all its institutions.
As the authorities fought due to catastrophic floods, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned that continuous rain could aggravate flood conditions along the Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers in the next 48 hours.
“People must immediately communicate with local authorities and rescue officials in case of emergency,” said the NDMA, added that the aid operations were ongoing and were being closely monitored. “All institutions ensure the preparation to deal with any crisis.”
In Lahore, a monitoring of the vulnerable points of the Ravi continued as the flows touched 219,770 CUSECs in Shahdara, while Balloki recorded 117,490 CUSECs and the increase, volumes that forced the administration to declare “critical surveillance”.
The devastation scale in other places stressed the challenge. According to the rescue 1122 officials, 22 people have lost their lives in incidents related to floods during the last days.
The authorities reported that 263 Socorro camps had been established, with 365 rescue missions carried out to date. Helicopters and ships mobilized for the most inaccessible areas.
The deaths spread in multiple districts. In Gujrat, three children drowned after a embankment collapsed. In Sialkot, five members of a single family perished when their home was swept.
More victims of Gujranwala, Hafizabad and Nareowal were reported when the swollen rivers and Nullahs broke the protective dikes. The authorities warned that the death toll could rise as the rescue equipment obtained access to cutting villages.
Among the Punjab rivers, Chenab wore the heaviest load. In Qadirabad Headworks, tickets reached their maximum point in an extraordinary 996,000 CUSECs, well above the bombing design of 800,000 CUSECs.
To prevent total collapse, the authorities deliberately violated Bunds near Mandi Bahauddin and Ali Pur Chatha, diverting the waters of floods to agricultural extensions to relieve pressure on the structure.
In Khanki, the tickets touched 859,000 Cusecs, flooding dozens of villages along the shores. Thousands of accent acres were submerged, leaving the farmers devastated only weeks before the harvest.
The residents described desperate escapes while abandoning cattle and belongings to water. Trimmu, below, recorded almost 99,000 Cusecs and remained stable, although the authorities said any new increase could overwhelm the low embankments.
The Sutlej, swollen by continuous rains and heavy flows from the other side of the border, joined the problems of the province. In Sulemanki Headworks, the flows increased to 113,124 CUSECs, while in Islam Headworks the river carried 54,756 Cusecs.
Temporary Dykes in Kasur, Pakpattan and Bahawalnagar collapsed under pressure, flooding farmland and forcing hundreds of families to evacuate during the night, local villagers said.
They reported with improvised tractors and rafts to move the elderly, children and cattle to a higher land. Many complained about inappropriate relief, saying that the rising water speed had left them with little more than the clothes they used.
In fine, the officials warned that Floodwater approached the city as the mass tickets move down the river. To divert the Chenab pressure, infractions were made in the protective dikes near the Muhammadwala boss, and the authorities confirm that 60% of the residents in threatened areas have been evacuated.
In Narag Mandi, dozens of villages have been cut, while in Sharaqpur Sharif of Sheikhupura, the river water has reached levels not seen since 1988. In Wazirabad, Nullah Palku overflowed, flooding low villages and neighborhoods.
Sialkot International Airport was temporarily closed after the waters of the floods reached its facilities. Pakistan International Airlines announced that flights are redirected to Lahore.
Arifwala Tehsil residents said that the waters of floods entered homes after Ravi and Sutlej converged, pushing tickets about 100,000 Cusecs. The authorities said that more than 600,000 people have been affected in Punjab, with hundreds of villages underwater.
Ravi remained the focus of urgent concern. In Jassar, he transported 99,470 CUSECs, while the flows in Siphon Ravi touched 220,627 Cusecs. Down river in Shahdara, reached 219,770 CUSECs and continued constant, threatening the edges of northern Lahore.
The authorities said the embankments had been reinforced with stone launch, while the machinery was positioned to plug the violations if they occurred.
The authorities also reported that Sidhnai Heads, further south, recorded 25,743 CUSECS and Rising. Although less severe than upstream levels, the increase raised risks for districts already weakened by the previous rains.
Nareowal faced severe devastation since cultivation lands and settlements were submerged by torrents of the Ravi and the associated Nullah. The Shakargarh-Narowal road became impassable, cutting access to several Tehsils.
Floodwater reached railways near Qila Ahmadabad, suspending trains services on the Narko-Sialkot route. Local accounts described panic scenes as the villages were evacuated in a hurry, and many residents walked to the chest through the water that transported food packages or leaders to safety.
The authorities warned that the danger was far from finishing. The Department of Meteorology predicted strong rains and thunderstorms throughout the country, including central and north punjab during the next 48 hours.
The NDMA issued an alert after the forecast of the Department of Met of generalized rain and thunderstorms throughout the country from August 29 to September 2, warning about possible floods and landslides in several regions.
According to the districts of NDMA, Northern and Northeasters of Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Atock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat, Narowal, Hafizabad and Mandi Bahauddin, it is likely that they will witness strong rains on August 30 and 31, raising flood concerns.
The Central and South Punjab is expected to receive downpours from August 29 to 31, with low areas at risk of flooding. Districts such as fine, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Layyah, Bhakkar, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan can experience flood conditions.
In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, heavy rains are expected from August 29 to 31. The divisions of Malakand and Hazara are particularly vulnerable to land landslides, with districts such as Chitral, Dir, Swat, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Dera Ismail Khan, Kohat and Bannu of On Alert.
The Azad Jammu and Kashmira (AJK) area, including Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Haveli, Kotli, Mirpur and Bhimber, can face heavy rains between August 29 and September 2, with landslides a potential threat.
In Gilgit-Baltistan, heavy rains are forecast from August 29 to 31, with authorities warning of landslides and the risk of flood floods of the glacial lakes (GLOF) in districts such as Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, Diamer, Astore, Ghanche and Ghanche.
The coastal districts of Sindh, including Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin and Tharpark, are expected to receive strong rainfall between August 30 and September 2. The NDMA warned that Karachi faces the risk of urban floods due to possible downpours.
Other districts of Sindh, including Hyderabad, Dadu, Sukkur, Ghotki, Larkana, Jacobabad and Kashmore, could also witness torrential rains between August 30 and September 1.
In Baluchistan, it is likely that the coastal and oriental districts such as Gwadar, Kech, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Lasbela and Kalat are beaten by rains from August 29 to September 1, with the possibility of flooding in low areas.
Rescue teams have been put on maximum alert in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sialkot and Southern Punjab districts. The authorities urged residents of low areas to address evacuation orders immediately. “Lives are more important than property,” said an official, appealing to villagers reluctant to leave cattle.
Despite the extensive mobilization, the large scale of floods has expanded the resources. With 263 already functional camps, district administrations are struggling to provide adequate refuge, food and medical assistance to displaced families.
In Narowal alone, hundreds sought refuge in schools and mosques turned into temporary shelters. In Sialkot, residents complained about the shortage of drinking water and medications.
Helicopter outlets threw food packages in roads inaccessible by road. The ships transported people through extensions flooded in Hafizabad and Gujranwala, while improvised rafts were seen on the village tracks.
Help Commissioner Nabeel Javed admitted that the challenge was “monumental”, but said the coordinated efforts of the Civil Administration, Rescue 1122 and the Army maintained the lowest casualties than feared.
Long way ahead
Even when water levels fell marginally in Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad Headworks on Thursday night, experts warned that the postponement could be temporary. With the monsoon still active and the entrances via the border continue, the rivers could rise again.
Farmers in the affected areas said that the rehabilitation would have been, with destroyed houses, lost cattle and fields buried under silt. The authorities say that the extent of the damage would be known only after the water receded.
For Lahore, the battle in Shahdara and Balloki remained decisive. The authorities insisted that the embankments would maintain, but the contingency plans were in their place if the Ravi pushes the city more.
The authorities said that floods in the Chenab, Sutlej and Ravi rivers have devastated almost 1,400 villages, displacing more than 1.2 million people. They added that the next 48 hours would be crucial to determine if the largest city of Punjab escapes the disaster.
(With agencies contributions)
