Death toll from floods in Pakistan's Punjab rises to 56 as rains, swelling rivers threaten more damage

Flooding in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province has killed at least 56 people since late August, officials said on Sunday, as heavy monsoon rains continue to swell rivers and force mass evacuations downstream.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) warned that monsoon showers are expected to continue until Sept. 9.

Punjab, home to more than 120 million people and much of the country’s wheat and rice production, has seen three of its rivers overflow. Authorities said at least 1.3 million acres of farmland have been inundated, raising food security concerns.

Nationwide, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported 905 deaths and nearly 1,200 injuries since the start of the monsoon season on June 26.

Rising waters

“Water levels in the rivers have improved, but the situation remains serious,” PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia told reporters.

He said the Sutlej River had stabilized in many areas, while the Ravi River at Jassar had dropped from 200,000 to 165,000 cusecs. Flows at Shahdara were still between 170,000–180,000 cusecs.

At Sidhnai, the river was flowing at 890,000 cusecs, prompting authorities to breach embankments near Khanewal and Shorkot to ease pressure.

Floodwaters are also rising in the Chenab River, where a first wave is passing through southern Punjab and a second wave is forming upstream. At Panjnad, the confluence of five rivers, flows jumped from 490,000 to 570,000 cusecs in one hour and are expected to peak between 600,000–650,000 cusecs.

From there, the floodwaters will merge with the Indus River and travel south toward Sindh, possibly reaching up to 800,000 cusecs near Guddu Barrage.

Relief efforts

Authorities said 25 districts and more than 4,000 villages have been affected in Punjab. Around 4.4 million people have been impacted, with at least 213,000 relocated to safer areas.

Nearly 450 temporary shelters were established, though some are now closing as rehabilitation begins. Around 60,000 to 70,000 people remain in camps, and 500 medical units have treated nearly 190,000 patients. More than 15 million livestock have also been rescued.

Rescue operations are continuing in Multan, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur.

Urban flooding and power cuts

Several Punjab districts recorded heavy rainfall in recent days, including 72 millimeters in Mangla. The city of Gujrat experienced what officials called “extreme urban flooding” over the weekend. Major roads have been cleared, though some streets remain under water.

Floods have also triggered power outages. The Power Division said 513 feeders were affected, with electricity restored to 1.36 million of the 1.64 million consumers impacted. Restoration for the remaining 276,745 is underway.

Sindh on alert

Authorities in Sindh province said more than 128,000 people have been evacuated from 15 districts as floodwaters move south from Punjab.

“Relief is being provided to the affected people,” Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon said, adding that 6,288 people were evacuated in the past 24 hours and more than 370,000 animals moved to safer ground.

Fresh warnings

The Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued new warnings for heavy to very heavy rains across Sindh from Sept. 7–9. The forecast raises fears of flash floods, urban inundation and rising river levels.

Storms are also expected in parts of eastern Balochistan, while scattered rains are forecast for major cities including Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Multan and Karachi.

Pakistan has been hit by increasingly destructive monsoon seasons in recent years. In 2022, record floods submerged one-third of the country, killing more than 1,700 people and displacing millions.

This year’s floods, while less severe, are again testing Pakistan’s infrastructure and relief capacity.