Nearly 150,000 people have been relocated across flood-prone districts in Punjab ahead of anticipated flooding along the Sutlej River, where the water level has reached a very high flood stage of 195,000 cusecs at Ganda Singh Wala.
The Pakistan National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) issued early warnings prompting large-scale evacuation, with emergency response teams deployed and all relevant departments placed on high alert.
The relocations have taken place primarily in districts like Bahawalnagar, Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Bahawalpur, and Vehari. Approximately 40,000 residents moved to safer areas soon after initial alerts, reducing risks as the river swelled further.
As per the data provided by the NDMA showed evacuations included 89,868 residents from Bahawalnagar, 14,140 from Kasur, 2,063 from Okara, 873 from Pakpattan, 361 from Bahawalpur, and 165 from Vehari, according to the APP.
Authorities have urged citizens to avoid rivers, streams, and low-lying areas and to follow safety instructions issued through multiple communication channels. Flood relief camps and necessary facilities have been set up to support displaced families.
The increased water inflow in the Sutlej River is partly due to heavy rains and the release of water by India into the river system. The situation remains critical, with very high floods in parts of the Sutlej River and high to medium flooding in other locations, alongside rising water levels in the Ravi River and other tributaries.