Shahdara residents struggle to rebuild amid widespread losses

Residents of Farukhabad and Shafiqabad — localities near River Ravi at Shahdara — have begun returning to their damaged homes, only to find rooms filled with wet river mud and their household belongings destroyed.

Families are facing severe hardship as they attempt to clear the mud without proper tools or resources.

Many have lost nearly everything, with furniture, bedding, and everyday essentials ruined beyond repair.

Particularly devastated are those families whose daughters were about to be married in the coming weeks; entire dowries, carefully prepared over years, have been washed away by the floodwaters.

Residents say they now sit helplessly among their broken belongings, waiting for relief.

"We are unable to live in our homes because of the mud and the damage. Our daughters' dowries have been destroyed, and we have no way to replace them," lamented one resident, appealing to the government for immediate assistance.

The ferocious floods have disrupted life across Punjab, damaging property and livelihoods.

In Shahdara, several houses near River Ravi have suffered structural losses.

Walls have collapsed, and roofs, weakened by the force of the water, are now unsafe for habitation.

Many families will need to rebuild their homes entirely before they can return.

Residents said they have been forced to remove the mud from their homes on a self-help basis, as no official machinery has been provided so far. They urged government representatives to extend practical support, including financial assistance and reconstruction aid.

Locals warned that without urgent intervention, hundreds of families in Shahdara and nearby areas could face long-term displacement.