Punjab province worst affected as floods continue to wreak havoc in Pakistan

Islamabad, Sep 13 (PTI) As floods continue to ravage towns, villages and large swathes of farmlands across Pakistan, especially the Punjab province, the death toll has increased to 964 since the monsoon rains started, officials said Saturday.

Of these deaths, at least 101 people died in the Punjab province in the recent spell of rains with the officials describing the disaster as “the largest in Punjab’s history,” with nearly 5,000 villages inundated and more than 4.57 million people affected and 1,00,000 people evacuated to safer places over the last three days.

The massive flood waters have been ravaging southern districts of Punjab province where the situation is still precarious and authorities are struggling to shift people to safer places.

Multan Deputy Commissioner (DC) Waseem Hamid Sindhu said that more than 1,00,000 people were evacuated to safer places over the last three days, according to the state-run media Associated Press of Pakistan (APP).

He also said that rescue and relief operations are ongoing with boats, helicopters and even drones being pressed into service. Breaches in embankments are being repaired on priority basis, he added.

“More than 4.57 million people have been affected in Punjab due to continued floods,” according to local officials.

The APP, in another report, quoted Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmed as saying that 1,517 boats with trained personnel were continuously engaged in flood rescue operations across Punjab. “In the last 24 hours alone, 14,247 people were rescued from flood-hit areas,” he said on Saturday morning.

Since August 23, when the current spell of rains and floods started, “at least 101 people have died in the worst floods to hit Punjab in decades,” Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said on Thursday.

While speaking with media, Kathia described the disaster as the largest in Punjab’s history, with nearly 5,000 villages inundated, newspaper The News International said.

Eight people were killed in the last 24 hours in Punjab, officials said Saturday morning.

Major rivers and their tributaries in the province, including Sutlej, Chenab and Ravi, witnessed continued high-level flooding with villages, towns and farmlands being inundated.

In the Sindh province, Guddu barrage, Sukkur barrage and Kotri barrage among others witnessed high flood discharge, according to figures shared by the local authorities.

According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), so far 964 people have been killed while another 1,062 injured during this year's monsoon spell since June 26.

Even when the Punjab province is facing a massive brunt during this spell, it is the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province that has registered most deaths at 504, followed by Punjab (276), Sindh (70), Balochistan (26) and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (79) among others since June 26, the NDMA data said.

The 1,062 injured include 660 people belonging to Punjab, 218 to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 87 from Sindh province.

Meanwhile, army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir visited Kasur Sector and the Flood Relief Camp in Jalalpur Pirwala, Multan on Saturday to review the prevailing flood situation and ongoing relief efforts, according to a statement by the army.

While interacting with civil administration, he emphasised that all necessary measures including infrastructural development required for protecting the people against the devastations caused by frequent floods should be expedited.

The COAS also undertook an aerial reconnaissance of flood-affected areas both along Lahore-Kasur and Multan-Jalalpur Pir Wala Axes to assess the scale of damage and ongoing relief efforts.

Meanwhile, former cricketer Wasim Akram took to social media to offer condolences and solidarity to families affected by cloudbursts and flash floods across the country describing them as “truly heart-wrenching.” “In this difficult time, we stand in solidarity with all those affected. I deeply appreciate the tireless efforts of our military personnel and aid workers who are reaching out to help. My prayers are with everyone displaced, and I hope they are able to return to their homes soon,” he posted on X. PTI SH NPK NPK GSP