Multan is on the edge as surging floodwater decimated village after village in areas around it, engulfing thousands of houses, flattening standing crops and triggering evacuations and rescues. District officials said that low-lying areas of Multan had been inundated and could be completely submerged soon. All Punjab rivers were flowing in high flood with River Chenab in extremely high flood state wreaking havoc in Jalalpur Pirwala Tehsil of Multan.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has said that the PDMA and the entire district administration were on site and actively managing the situation as Multan’s Jalalpur Pirwala Tehsil surging flood. In a post on her X account, Maryam Nawaz said: “PDMA, Rescue 1122, and the entire district administration are on site, actively managing the situation. Nearly 2,000 people have been safely evacuated so far, and rescue operations will continue through the night.

“The situation and ongoing operations are being minutely monitored through thermal imaging drones to ensure rapid response and prevent any loss of precious life,” she added. Evacuation warnings were sent to the public affected by flood in several towns of Muzaffargarh and Alipur Jatoi. Hundreds of people were evacuated from Khan Bela localities of Karamwali and Durrabpur and 2,343 were rescued during the last 24 hours.

Over 1,500 houses were inundated when an embankment was breached in Akbar Shah village of Luddan in District Vehari. The roaring floodwater also destroyed cotton, corn and fodder crops, rendering villagers without any food and drinking water. The roads were also inaccessible. In Mailsi, dykes breached in Qazi Kalra and Govanas cutting off road link with the main city. Several areas of Ouch Sharif and Bahawalpur were also submerged in the floodwater.

The people have started to make drum-supported rafts in Khairpur Daha area of Ahmadpur Sharqia after flood water created large-scale devastation. The situation was not different in Tarinda Muhammad Panah in District Rahimyar Khan. Helpless flood affectees were now camping at the Manchan embankment after “everything we owned” was destroyed in Ali Daya, Gul Muhammad Ganga and Gormani towns.

They complained that the administration has not yet reached to them and they were without any food and drinking water or any chaff for the cattle. The high flood in River Sutlej also submerged dozens of villages and localities in Burewala. The continuous rain was adding more salt to their injuries.

The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has warned of an extremely high-level flood in the rivers Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab by September 9, while an unusual rise in the water levels of other rivers, including Jhelum and Indus, is also expected due to heavy rains in the upper regions, 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Monday. According to PDMA Punjab Director General Irfan Ali Kathia, the flood threat in major rivers remains high until September 9.

As a precautionary measure, and in line with the instructions of Punjab’s Chief Minister, all relevant departments are on high alert, and maximum resources are being deployed to protect citizens’ lives and property. In addition, the PDMA spokesperson stated that the situation across Punjab's rivers remains turbulent. In the Sutlej River, an extremely high-level flood is observed at Ganda Singh Wala, where water flow has reached 319,000 cusecs.

At Suleimanki, the river is experiencing a high-level flood, with water discharge at 135,000 cusecs. In the Chenab River, a low-level flood is reported at Khanki Headworks, with a water flow of 147,000 cusecs, while at Qadirabad, the water level is the same. However, at Head Trimmu, the Chenab is experiencing an extremely high-level flood, with an overwhelming 543,000 cusecs surging through. The Ravi River is also under pressure.

At Jassar, it is at a low flood level with a flow of 45,000 cusecs, while at Shahdara, the flood level is high, reaching 90,000 cusecs. At Balloki Headworks, the Ravi is experiencing an extremely high-level flood, with 139,000 cusecs, and at Head Sidhnai, the flood is at a high level, with 123,000 cusecs. According to the Irrigation Department, in Sahiwal, a high-level flood is moving through the Qutb Shahana point of the Ravi, where 144,800 cusecs of floodwater is passing.

At Chichawatni, the river is carrying 14,700 cusecs, and local authorities have been placed on alert to handle the situation. In Sahiwal, villages situated close to the riverbanks have been evacuated, and residents have been moved to safer locations. Meanwhile, the administration in Chichawatni is fully alert and monitoring the situation closely.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)