LAHORE, BAHAWALPUR, THATTA (Dunya News) – Citizens in Punjab are still struggling to recover from the worst floods in the province’s history, as stagnant water remains in many areas, delaying rehabilitation efforts. Several routes have yet to be restored, causing difficulties for displaced people returning to their homes.
In Ahmedpur East and Uch Sharif, hundreds of houses and thousands of acres of standing crops have been destroyed. Orchards, educational institutions, roads, and other infrastructure have also suffered severe damage.
Despite a decrease in water levels, breaches in embankments remain unsealed, further delaying the restoration of routes and complicating the return of flood victims. Obtaining food and essential supplies remains difficult in flood-hit areas.
Flood-affected people are also struggling to find fodder for their livestock. Many whose houses were demolished are left under the open sky without tents. The victims have demanded the supply of food, rations, and animal feed.
Meanwhile, a medium-level flood persists at Kotri Barrage in the Indus River, continuing to affect katcha (riverine) areas due to water pressure.
The inflow of water at Kotri Barrage has increased further, reaching 407,000 cusecs. With the water level rising rapidly, villages in Thatta’s katcha areas, including Yar Muhammad Manchar, are inundated. Residents have begun shifting towards protective embankments, while many remain in the flood-hit region awaiting government assistance.
Near Nawabshah, flooding also continues, submerging several katcha villages as the evacuation of residents is underway. In Matiari, katcha areas have also gone underwater due to the rising water flow, forcing residents of Hala’s villages to migrate by boats to safer places on a self-help basis.
On the other hand, water flow at Guddu and Sukkur barrages is gradually decreasing.
In Punjab, river conditions have returned to normal, but several districts remain flood-affected. In Jalalpur Pirwala, five bodies were recovered after floodwaters receded, while in Kabirwala, water from the Ravi and Chenab rivers has begun retreating from populated areas.
According to the Flood Forecasting Division Lahore, after several weeks, the water pressure in the Sutlej River has also subsided. At Ganda Singh Wala and Head Sulemanki, water flow has returned to normal, while at Head Islam, only a low-level flood remains, though the water level there is also receding.