Deluge ebbs but ordeal surges
People wade through floodwater on the M-5 Motorway in Jalalpur, where heavy inundation forced the closure of traffic and disrupted movement of vehicles for several hours. PHOTO: APP
The devastating floods sweeping across Punjab, Sindh, and southern parts of Pakistan continued to escalate on Monday, leaving widespread destruction, displacing millions, and pushing the nationwide death toll to nearly 1,000.
At Guddu Barrage in Kashmore-Kandhkot district, where the Indus River first enters Sindh, authorities recorded a marginal decline in flood levels, but the pressure was mounting at the downstream Sukkur Barrage.
The flow at Guddu, which stood at 635,759 cusecs at 6am, dropped by more than 11,000 cusecs within six hours, settling at 624,456 cusecs by the evening. By comparison, Sunday evening had recorded 612,269 cusecs. Despite the slight easing, evacuations from riverine villages continued.
Sukkur Barrage reported 560,890 cusecs by Monday evening – a sharp rise of 72,000 cusecs in 24 hours. Kotri Barrage also saw a rise, touching 284,325 cusecs by evening, though it remained at a low flood level.
Irrigation officials said so far no breaches or overtopping of embankments had been reported, but riverine settlements and farmland had been inundated. In Ghotki, floodwaters entered the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited's (OGDCL) gas field at Qadirpur, forcing suspension of drilling at 10 wells. Company officials said operations would resume once water receded.
Meanwhile, the humanitarian crisis deepened across Punjab and Sindh. Heavy monsoon rains coupled with surging river flows devastated infrastructure, including a section of the Multan-Sukkur M-5 Motorway near Jalalpur Pirwala.
The washed-away portion forced a full closure, while emergency repairs on a bridge were halted due to dangerously strong currents. The collapse severed a vital transport route, complicating delivery of relief supplies.
In Uch Sharif, a 100-foot-wide breach in an embankment unleashed torrents into residential areas and agricultural land, flooding the shrine of Mian Mouluk Shah Bukhari before spreading into surrounding villages.
Casualties also mounted: one man drowned in Muzaffargarh, two children died in Multan, and four more perished in Balochistan's Kohlu district. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), the overall death toll since late June has reached 992, with 1,062 people injured and more than 4.5 million directly affected.
Punjab has borne the brunt of the destruction. Overflowing Sutlej and Chenab rivers submerged dozens of villages. In Chishtian, 47 villages went under water, drowning 48,000 acres of farmland and wiping out sugarcane, rice, maize, and sesame crops.
Minchinabad saw 67 villages submerged along a 76-kilometre belt, affecting more than 56,000 people. In Alipur, dozens of villages remain marooned, with homes, schools, and roads damaged beyond repair.
Residents complain of shortages and exploitation by private boat operators, some charging up to Rs40,000 to ferry families and livestock to safety. In Uch Sharif, 36 villages were swamped, thousands of acres of farmland lost, and families left stranded.
Sindh faces a parallel disaster. In Ghotki, cotton and sugarcane crops have been destroyed, and villagers forced to abandon homes, driving cattle to higher ground in a last-ditch attempt to save livelihoods.
Health officials warned of a looming health crisis, issuing dengue alerts for Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Faisalabad, and Peshawar as stagnant water provided breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Hospitals have been ordered to stay on high alert, and fumigation campaigns have been announced.
Relief and rescue efforts continue but remain stretched. NDMA reports that more than 2.95 million people have been rescued nationwide since June, with over 151,000 housed in relief camps. More than 473,000 patients have received treatment at medical camps, but many communities remain cut off, with airlifts and boats the only means of access.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz visited Alipur on Monday, overseeing relief operations and personally distributing aid. At a relief camp, she served meals, handed out compensation cheques, and assured long-term rehabilitation.
Officials briefed her that nearly 394,000 people in Muzaffargarh district alone had been affected. Survivors demanded urgent action to repair embankments and restore food and shelter.
Maryam praised the Navy's role in rescue operations and announced the creation of a dedicated WASA Punjab Force to improve future flood response. Separately, the Punjab Education Foundation approved Rs5 billion to rehabilitate flood-damaged schools.
Nationally, Tarbela Dam is at full capacity and Mangla Dam at 95%. The Federal Flood Commission reported extensive damage since late June: 674 kilometres of roads, 239 bridges, 8,481 homes, and over 6,500 livestock lost.
Adding to the crisis, the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast a fresh spell of heavy monsoon rains beginning Tuesday (today) and lasting through September 19, with Rawalpindi, Lahore, and Gujranwala among the areas at risk.
Officials warn the new rains could trigger further flooding in already devastated regions. For now, residents of Punjab and Sindh, already battered by weeks of inundation, remain on edge – trying to salvage what they can as they brace for yet another wave.