No more heavy rains expected after 10th monsoon spell: PDMA DG
Pakistan
So far 2.1 million people have been relocated to safer areas
LAHORE (Dunya News) – Provincial Disaster Management Authority Director General (PDMA) Irfan Ali Kathia has announced that the 10th spell of monsoon has ended and no significant rains are expected in Punjab in the coming days.
Addressing a press conference in Lahore, he said parts of southern Punjab had been inundated, while a high-level flood alert was issued in the Sutlej River after 253,000 cusecs of water passed through Ganda Singh.
Kathia noted that water levels in India’s Thein Dam had dropped by 11 feet. At present, 34,000 cusecs are flowing into the Ravi River, while inflows at Kasur have fallen from 311,000 to 253,000 cusecs. He said water levels are expected to normalize within one to two days.
The PDMA chief assured that no further flood surges are expected in the Sutlej, Ravi, or Chenab Rivers over the next four to five days. He said the flow at Trimmu stands at 300,000 cusecs and is receding, while Panjnad is witnessing over 300,000 cusecs and Guddu more than 400,000 cusecs.
Currently, more than 32 villages remain inundated. Residents from Gujrat and Narowal districts have begun returning home from relief camps. The government had established 488 relief camps, providing shelter to around 80,000 people.
Kathia said that so far 2.1 million people have been relocated to safer areas, while 250,000 people benefitted from medical camps. Despite these efforts, Punjab has reported 66 flood-related deaths.
The DG added that nearly 1.95 million acres of farmland have been damaged, with southern Punjab facing the worst devastation due to fast-flowing waters—marking one of the largest flood surges in the province’s history.
He further informed that 2,700 people were evacuated from Jalalpur Pirwala, where nearly 70 boats remain engaged in rescue operations.
Kathia termed it the largest-ever rescue operation in Punjab, jointly conducted by the Pakistan Army, Rescue 1122, and other government departments. In the last 24 hours, one girl lost her life after the roof of her house collapsed due to heavy rain.
