Massive flooding in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province has impacted over 1.2 million people and displaced nearly 250,000, after heavy rainfall and water released from overflowing Indian dams caused three major rivers to overflow.
Rescue teams in boats rushed to reach stranded residents after the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers breached their banks. The flooding has destroyed homes, farmlands, and businesses, leaving many residents trapped.
At least 15 people lost their lives in Gujranwala district and surrounding areas, police said. More rainfall is forecast from Friday and may continue into next week following a short break.
Punjab’s provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb reported that 1,432 villages along the overflowing rivers have been submerged, affecting 1.2 million people and displacing 248,000. She added that around 700 relief camps and 265 medical centers have been established, and emergency supplies are being distributed.
Nationwide, over 800 people have died due to floods since late June.
Meanwhile, in India-controlled Kashmir’s Jammu region, record August rainfall has triggered flash floods and landslides, damaging infrastructure and affecting two major Hindu pilgrimage routes. Indian authorities evacuated thousands, with at least 115 deaths reported so far.
This marks the first time in nearly four decades that the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers have all simultaneously reached high flood levels in Pakistan, complicating rescue efforts across multiple districts, the provincial irrigation department said.
Some victims say they are still awaiting assistance. Zainab Bibi, 54, who was stranded on her rooftop for two days in Narowal, said she had ignored earlier warnings, believing her village—far from the river—would be safe.
Mohammad Saleem, a farmer from the same district, said water from across the Indian border washed away his home and all their belongings. His wife, Kaneez Bibi, added that the dowry saved for their daughter’s November wedding was also lost in the flood.
Evacuations began earlier this week across Punjab following heavy monsoon rains and rising water levels caused by India releasing dam water, which severely affected low-lying border areas.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif praised preemptive evacuations and the removal of illegal riverside structures for preventing higher casualties, calling it one of the province’s most severe flood emergencies in decades. She urged authorities to ensure no displaced persons are left without food or medical care and to take steps to control potential outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
Federal Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, during a visit to Narowal, accused India of releasing large volumes of water without proper warnings—allegedly violating a bilateral water treaty it suspended earlier this year. India had suspended the agreement after blaming Pakistan-based militants for an attack in Kashmir that killed 26 tourists—an accusation Islamabad denies.
Iqbal described the water release as an act of “water aggression,” directly linking it to the current flooding. Indian officials have not responded publicly to the allegations.
Among the affected areas was the historic shrine of Guru Nanak near the Indian border in Narowal, which was quickly evacuated by rescue teams.
In 2022, Pakistan suffered devastating climate-induced floods that claimed nearly 1,700 lives.