Lahore holds off Ravi surge

LAHORE:

Authorities were locked in a fierce battle on Thursday to save Lahore from the surging Ravi, as floodwaters swelled to dangerous levels at Shahdara and Balloki headworks, threatening the city's outskirts and nearby villages.

With more than a million people displaced and at least 22 people killed across the province, the situation has grown into one of the worst flood emergencies in recent years and posed a grave test for the administration and all its institutions.

As authorities struggled in wake of catastrophic floods, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warned that continued rainfall could aggravate flood conditions along rivers Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab in the next 48 hours.

"People should immediately contact local authorities and rescue officials in case of emergency," the NDMA said, adding relief operations were ongoing and were being closely monitored. "All institutions are ensuring preparedness to deal with any crisis."

In Lahore, a round-the-clock monitoring of vulnerable points of the Ravi continued as flows touched 219,770 cusecs at Shahdara, while Balloki recorded 117,490 cusecs and rising — volumes that forced the administration to declare "critical vigilance."

The scale of devastation elsewhere underscored the challenge. According to Rescue 1122 officials, 22 people have lost their lives in flood-related incidents during the past few days.

Authorities reported that 263 relief camps had been established, with 365 rescue missions carried out to date. Helicopters and boats were mobilised for the most inaccessible areas.

The fatalities were spread across multiple districts. In Gujrat, three children drowned after an embankment collapsed. In Sialkot, five members of a single family perished when their house was swept away.

Further casualties were reported from Gujranwala, Hafizabad, and Narowal as swollen rivers and nullahs broke through protective dykes. Officials warned that the death toll could climb as rescue teams gained access to cut-off villages.

Among Punjab's rivers, the Chenab carried the heaviest burden. At Qadirabad headworks, inflows peaked at an extraordinary 996,000 cusecs — well above the barrage's design capacity of 800,000 cusecs.

To prevent total collapse, authorities deliberately breached protective bunds near Mandi Bahauddin and Ali Pur Chatha, diverting floodwaters into agricultural tracts to relieve pressure on the structure.

At Khanki, inflows touched 859,000 cusecs, inundating dozens of villages along the banks. Thousands of acres of standing crops were submerged, leaving farmers devastated just weeks before harvest.

Residents described desperate escapes as they abandoned livestock and belongings to the water. Trimmu, further downstream, recorded nearly 99,000 cusecs and remained steady, though officials said any new surge could overwhelm low-lying embankments.

The Sutlej, swollen by continuous rains and heavy flows from across the border, added to the province's woes. At Sulemanki headworks, flows rose to 113,124 cusecs, while at Islam headworks the river carried 54,756 cusecs.

Temporary dykes in Kasur, Pakpattan, and Bahawalnagar collapsed under the pressure, flooding farmland and forcing hundreds of families to evacuate overnight, local villagers said.

They reported using tractor trolleys and makeshift rafts to move the elderly, children, and livestock to higher ground. Many complained of inadequate relief, saying that the speed of rising water had left them with little more than the clothes they wore.

In Multan, officials warned that floodwater was approaching the city as massive inflows move downstream. To divert the Chenab's pressure, breaches were made at protective dikes near Head Muhammadwala, with officials confirming that 60% of residents in threatened areas have been evacuated.

In Narang Mandi, dozens of villages have been cut off, while in Sheikhupura's Sharaqpur Sharif, river water has reached levels not seen since 1988. In Wazirabad, Nullah Palkhu overflowed, inundating villages and low-lying neighbourhoods.

Sialkot International Airport was temporarily closed after floodwaters reached its premises. Pakistan International Airlines announced that flights were being rerouted to Lahore.

Residents of Arifwala tehsil said floodwaters entered homes after the Ravi and Sutlej converged, pushing inflows close to 100,000 cusecs. Officials said more than 600,000 people have been affected across Punjab, with hundreds of villages under water.

The Ravi remained the focus of urgent concern. At Jassar, it carried 99,470 cusecs, while flows at the Ravi Siphon touched 220,627 cusecs. Downstream at Shahdara, it reached 219,770 cusecs and continued steady, threatening northern edges of Lahore.

Authorities said embankments had been reinforced with stone pitching, while machinery was positioned to plug breaches if they occurred.

Officials also reported that Sidhnai headworks, further south, recorded 25,743 cusecs and rising. Though less severe than upstream levels, the rise posed risks for districts already weakened by earlier rains.

Narowal faced severe devastation as farmland and settlements were submerged by torrents from the Ravi and associated nullahs. The Shakargarh-Narowal road was rendered impassable, cutting off access to several tehsils.

Floodwater reached railway tracks near Qila Ahmadabad, suspending train services on the Narowal-Sialkot route. Local accounts described scenes of panic as villages were evacuated in haste, with many residents wading chest-deep through water carrying bundles of food or leading buffaloes to safety.

Officials cautioned that the danger was far from over. The Meteorological Department forecast heavy rains and thunderstorms across the country, including central and northern Punjab over the next 48 hours.

The NDMA issued an alert after the Met Department's forecast of widespread rain and thunderstorms across the country from August 29 to September 2, warning of possible flooding and landslides in several regions.

According to NDMA, northern and north-eastern districts of Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Lahore, Gujranwala, Sialkot, Gujrat, Narowal, Hafizabad, and Mandi Bahauddin, are likely to witness heavy rains on August 30 and 31, raising concerns of flooding.

Central and southern Punjab are also expected to receive downpours from August 29 to 31, with low-lying areas at risk of inundation. Districts including Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Layyah, Bhakkar, Sahiwal, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, and Rahim Yar Khan may experience flood-like conditions.

In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, heavy rains are expected from August 29 to 31. Malakand and Hazara divisions are particularly vulnerable to landslides, with districts such as Chitral, Dir, Swat, Buner, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Kohat, and Bannu on alert.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)area, including Muzaffarabad, Bagh, Haveli, Kotli, Mirpur, and Bhimber, may face intense 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 glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF) in districts including Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, Diamer, Astore, Ghizer, and Ghanche.

Sindh's coastal districts, including Karachi, Thatta, Sujawal, Badin, and Tharparkar, are expected to receive heavy rainfall between August 30 and September 2. The NDMA cautioned that Karachi faces the risk of urban flooding due to potential downpours.

Other Sindh districts including Hyderabad, Dadu, Sukkur, Ghotki, Larkana, Jacobabad, and Kashmore could also witness torrential rains between August 30 and September 1.

In Balochistan, coastal and eastern districts such as Gwadar, Kech, Panjgur, Khuzdar, Lasbela, and Kalat are likely to be hit by rains from August 29 to September 1, with the possibility of flooding in low-lying areas.

Rescue teams have been placed on high alert in Lahore, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Sialkot, and southern Punjab districts. Authorities urged residents of low-lying areas to heed evacuation orders immediately. "Lives are more important than property," one official said, appealing to villagers reluctant to abandon livestock.

Despite extensive mobilisation, the sheer scale of the flooding has stretched resources. With 263 camps already functional, district administrations are struggling to provide adequate shelter, food, and medical assistance to displaced families.

In Narowal alone, hundreds sought refuge in schools and mosques converted into temporary shelters. In Sialkot, residents complained of shortages of drinking water and medicines.

Helicopter sorties dropped food packets in areas inaccessible by road. Boats ferried people across flooded expanses in Hafizabad and Gujranwala, while makeshift rafts were seen on village tracks.

Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed admitted the challenge was "monumental," but said coordinated efforts by civil administration, Rescue 1122, and the army were keeping casualties lower than feared.

Long road ahead

Even as water levels fell marginally at Marala, Khanki, and Qadirabad headworks on Thursday evening, experts warned the reprieve could be temporary. With monsoon still active and inflows across the border continuing, rivers could rise again.

Farmers in affected areas said rehabilitation would take months, if not years, with homes destroyed, livestock lost, and fields buried under silt. Officials say the extent of the damage would be known only after water receded.

For Lahore, the battle at Shahdara and Balloki remained decisive. Authorities insisted embankments would hold, but contingency plans were in place should the Ravi push further into the city.

Officials said flooding in the Chenab, Sutlej, and Ravi rivers has devastated nearly 1,400 villages, displacing more than 1.2 million people. The next 48 hours, they added, would be crucial in determining whether Punjab's largest city escapes disaster.

(WITH INPUT FROM AGENCIES)