LAHORE (Dunya News) – Sutlej River continues devastation due to rising water and destroyed several homes in to Bahawalnagar and Pakpattan, besides displacing people. In Jalalpur Pirwala, two women and one young man drowned as floodwaters surged into residential areas.
Meanwhile, people have started returning to their homes in Liaquatpur despite water in several localities.
Local authorities report that continuous riverbank erosion has displaced numerous families, forcing emergency evacuations and rescue operations in the affected areas. Relief efforts are underway, but rising water levels continue to threaten nearby settlements.
Further updates are expected as rescue teams assess the damage and provide aid to the affected communities.
The Sutlej River has shifted its course toward Baqarke village in Pakpattan, causing rapid land erosion and resulting in the destruction of dozens of homes. Residents have begun removing valuable belongings from their houses as the situation worsens.
In response, the district administration has launched emergency efforts to minimize further damage to the village. Heavy machinery is being deployed to construct embankments in an attempt to contain the river’s advance.
Meanwhile, in Jalalpur Pirwala, a tehsil of Multan, two women drowned in Chak 81/M while attempting to return to their homes after water levels receded. In a separate incident, a young man drowned in stagnant floodwater in Chak 66/M.
Widespread damage continues in southern Punjab as water from Sutlej River erodes riverbank. In Bahawalnagar’s Basti Janan Wali and surrounding areas, more than 50 homes have been destroyed by the river.
According to officials, over 500 homes are under immediate threat as erosion continues. In a desperate attempt to mitigate damage, local residents have started demolishing their own homes to salvage materials and avoid sudden collapses. A local madrassa and a large part of a mosque have also been destroyed, while a government primary school has sustained severe structural damage.
Protests in Bahawalpur over relief camp closure
In Bahawalpur, flood victims from Baqarpur staged a protest against local authorities, alleging they were forced to vacate relief camps. However, the deputy commissioner rejected the accusations, stating that the residents are only being asked to return home as conditions improve.
Destruction in Ahmadpur Sharqia and Uch Sharif
In Ahmadpur Sharqia and Uch Sharif, multiple houses in Shamsabad, Bhanda Venus, Ismailpur, and Jhangra Sharqi localities have collapsed due to waterlogging.
In Chanab Rasoolpur, homes in Basti Chandia and Basti Jalbani have been destroyed by floodwaters.
In areas including Chak Kehal, Bakhtyari, Bait Ahmad, Azizabad, and Rasoolpur, residents have reported significant losses to homes and agricultural lands. Villages such as Sarwarabad, Tarand Basharat, and Khairpur Daha have seen complete destruction of houses, leaving families shelterless.
In Minchanabad, a low-level flood situation continues at Baba Farid Bridge, where 80,000 cusecs of floodwater is currently passing through the Sutlej River.
In surrounding villages including Bonga Akbar Mari Nihal, Bachian Wali, and over 15 nearby settlements, floodwaters have inundated large areas, isolating communities due to disrupted road access.
Destruction in Liaquatpur
The Chenab and Sindh Rivers have also wreaked havoc in Liaquatpur, where floodwaters have caused widespread destruction in villages Noorwala, Ghafoorabad, Bait Zahir Pir, Bait Bhattar, Bana Raviya, Bait Aheer, and Bait Baloch. Many homes have collapsed, forcing residents to flee.
In Bait Sui, Bait Machhi, Tayyab Baloch, and Mouza Chohan, homes were destroyed and crops, including sugarcane, sesame (til), mung beans, and fodder, were swept away by floodwater.
Water level drops at Guddu and Chashma
Meanwhile, water levels are gradually falling in the Indus River at Guddu Barrage, where current inflows have been recorded at 273,651 cusecs and outflows at 244,888 cusecs, maintaining a low flood level.
Similarly, Chashma Barrage has also seen a drop in water levels. The inflow at Chashma has decreased to 158,120 cusecs, with an outflow of 152,230 cusecs, and a current water level of 647 feet.
Prioritise restoration of roads: CM Maryam
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, in the meantime, has directed authorities to prioritise the restoration of link roads, emphasizing the importance of connectivity to ensure relief and recovery efforts can reach all affected areas.
Authorities are continuing damage assessments and relief operations, while residents in vulnerable areas are being urged to cooperate with rescue teams and remain alert to further river movement.