Liberation of flood water by India worsens the crisis in punjab

LAHORE:

As the waters of the floods swell by Punjab after the release of water from India in the Eastern rivers, the Pakistan army has been deployed to help in large -scale rescue and relief operations, with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirming that more than 210,000 people have been safely evacuated from vulnerable areas, and they were not reported until now.

The president of the NDMA, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik, who addresses a press conference on Wednesday, said that evacuations have been carried out through coordinated efforts involving the Army of Pakistan, Rangers, Rescue 1122, provincial disaster management authorities (PDMA) and other civil agencies.

“All evacuated have been relocated in aid camps administered by the government where they receive food, medical care and essential supplies,” he said, added that these facilities will continue functional until it is safe for families that return home.

Water levels are expected to increase significantly in the next few days, with the projected Panjnad flow to reach 600,000–700,000 CUSECS, which caused high monitoring at later points, including Kotri and Guddu. Continuous evacuation along the Sutlej River is ongoing, with priority given to vulnerable populations as indicated by the Chief of the General Staff also Munir of the Chief of the General Staff of the Army (COAS).

The authorities said that the Indian neighbor had released water from the upstream dams on her side of the border, further increasing the volume of water that reaches Pakistan. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that New Delhi had notified advanced through diplomatic channels before opening dams of dams.

Kartarpur was flooded as a blow -blown prey embankment

The authorities exploded a embankment next to a dam committed to Monzón when the floods submerged one of the most sacred SIJS sites in the world.

The authorities carried out a controlled explosion of a embankment in the Qadirabad dam on the Chenab River on Wednesday as water levels increased.

“To save the structure, we have violated the right marginal embankment so that the water flow is reduced,” said Mazhar Hussain, spokesman for the Punjab Disaster Management Agency.

The Kartarpur temple, where Sikh Faith Guru Nanak died in 1539, was submerged by flood water near the border with India.

Five ships were sent to the extensive site to rescue about 100 people that remain stranded.

The images of the area showed that Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in the Narkowal district submerged completely after the Ravi River overflowed its banks.

The Disaster Management Authority issued emergency alerts and advised those who live near the Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers that “move immediately to safe places.”

“I urge the public to evacuate the flood plains along the Ravi River, since the water flow is the highest since 1988,” said provincial disasters Irfan Ali.

It is expected that the increase in the flood “will pass through Lahore tonight and tomorrow morning,” he said about the capital of Punjab.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over an emergency meeting in Islamabad, where he directed the NDMA to strengthen early alert systems and take immediate measures to avoid urban floods in Lahore, Sialkot and Gujrat.

This aerial photograph shows houses partially submerged in the area affected by the floods of Haqu Wala Village in the Kasur district of Pakistan on August 26, 2025. Photo: AFP

The prime minister reiterated the full support of the federal government to Punjab, since he had previously extended to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa during the recent flood events.

In the same informative session, the Federal Minister of Information and Brokery Attaullah Tarar reported significant water level in the Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers, with the Khanki point that exceeds 1,000,000 Cusecs, now moving towards Qadirabad.

Tantar emphasized that the government is determined to prevent future constructions along the river beds and is actively coordinating with local administrations for additional evacuations, particularly in Qadirabad.

During the meeting, it was stressed that high levels of water discharge are being monitored closely in Chief Marala, Khanki, Balloki and Qadirabad, while pressure points in the Ravi River in Shahdara and Sutlej in Sulemanki are also under scrutiny.

Rescue volunteers 1122 Search for residents in an area flooded, after the rains of the monsoon and the increase in water levels in Sialkot, Punjab province, Pakistan, August 27, 2025. Photo: Reuters

The officials, including federal ministers, Ahsan Iqbal, Musadik Malik, Attaullah Tarar and Ahad Khan Chema, were present at the high -level informative session along with senior representatives of NDMA and the Government.

Previously, informing the media, the general director of Public Relations between Services (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, said three rivers in Pakistan were experiencing floods, and the army carried out rescue operations in the affected areas.

He was flanked by the Minister of Information, Attaullah Tarar, and the president of the NDMA, Lieutenant General Inam Haider Malik.

The ISPR DG said the troops and officers were standing with the nation at this difficult time.

Army deployed in eight districts

In Punjab, Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif presided over a four -hour emergency meeting to evaluate the impacts of the district and coordinate help efforts. Pakistan’s army has been deployed in eight districts, including Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Nareowal, Okara, Sargodha and Hafizabad, to support local administrations.

According to the Punjab Department of Interior, Army Aviation and additional resources are being deployed in the worse coup areas. CM was informed that 72 villages in Kasur and more than 150,000 people and 35,000 cattle have already been transferred to safe areas. Socorro camps offer medical and veterinary services, with more than 2,600 patients currently treated.

The floods have devastated great stripes of Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar and Bahawalpur, which affect more than 125 villages collectively. Relief materials have been sent, including 130 ships, 1,300 life jackets, 6 ambulance bicycles and 245 life rings.

In addition, the NDMA has also issued early warnings for a new rain spell that is expected between August 29 and September 9, particularly attacking the collection areas that already deal with floods.

Previously, the Minister of Planning, Ahsan IQBAL, accused India of worsening floods in Pakistan by releasing water in relays instead of sharing timely information under the Indo Water Treaty.

River levels remain high

Water levels in the main rivers and reservoirs of Pakistan are still critically high, and the inputs exceed 1.2 million Cusecs and the waters of the floods continue to advance downward towards Punjab. The authorities reported both large -scale evacuations and extensive rescue efforts as concerns about the security of communities along the Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers.

According to the Water and Energy Development Authority (WAPDA), the Indo River in Tarbela registered an entry of 240,000 Cusecs and output of 245,400 CUSECs.

In mangla in the Jhelum, the entrance was 34,000 Cusecs and flow of 8,000 Cusecs. Chashma saw inputs of 326,600 Cusecs and exits of 329,000 Cusecs, while in the head marala in the Chenab, the tickets reached 107,500 Cusecs against 89,500 Cusecs.

In Nowshera, the Kabul River registered 39,400 CUSECs both in entrance and in exit.

The deposits remained under pressure, with Tarbela at 1,549 feet with 5.67 million acres-pie (MAF), mangrove at 1,220.95 feet also containing 5.67 MAF and Chashma at 647 feet with 0.21 MAF.

The travelers observe the Ravi River from a bridge when the government announced a flood alert in the areas of Rio in the province of Punjab, in Lahore on August 27, 2025. Photo: AFP

The storage usable combined through Tarbela, Mangla and Chashma stood at 11.55 MAF. Since April 1, however, 11.8 MAF of water, estimated at US $ 11 billion, has fluid to the sea.

The Indo brought the largest volume to the sea, with flood conditions reported from Chashma downstream to Kotri. In Sukkur, the download reached 449,000 Cusecs; in Guddu, 312,000 Cusecs; in Taunsa, 345,000 Cusecs; and in Kalabagh, 271,000 Cusecs.

In Chenab, the flow in the head Marala touched 902,000 Cusecs, while there is no prey to store its waters.

With additional information from AFP