Monsoon Havoc Hits Pakistan’s Punjab; Rivers Overflow, Forcing Mass Evacuations | World News
Dawn reported that heavy monsoon rains triggered severe floods in Punjab, and that large rivers swell to dangerous levels and left the city centers under water.
The Pakistan Meteorology Department (PMD) said that the Indus River is at mid -flood in Kalabagn and Chashma, and Tarbala, Taunsa, Guddu and Sukkur witnessed low floods. According to Dawn, flash warnings were given for Hill Torrents at the Department of Dera Ghazi Khan and the Nullahs of Eastern Balochistan.
Northern Punjab regions such as Sialkot, Gujranwala and Jhelum were among the worst affected. Gujranwala recorded 82 mm rainfall in people’s colony, and Sargodha reported 69mm and contributed to floods. In the center of Punjab, Mandi Bahauddin and Hafizabad recorded 50 mm and 44 mm rain respectively and provided the establishment of aid camps for displaced residents.
Hundreds of families residing in Riverine (Katcha) regions had to evacuate as rising waters as waters without waters, and the standing crops destroyed rice and sugar cane.
In the Southern Punjab, the flood waters continued to move towards Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur and Dera Ghazi Khan. The Chenab River in Mala was recorded in 115.100 Cusec and Ravi reached 38,500 Cuse in Balloki and threatened adjacent low areas. Dawn reported that the PMD has isolated intense rainfall in Bahawalpur and DG Khan sections for the next 24 hours.
Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur regional administrations launched evacuation campaigns due to floods in the peak torrents. Hundreds of families were moving to safer places.
Rescue 1122 confirmed that 40 people stuck in a channel in Shinka in the Attock Region have been safely released.
Lahore experienced three rainfall spells from 8:45 to 16:30 in the morning and led to water accumulation on the streets and on large roads. According to the Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA), a maximum of 43 mm rainfall was recorded in IQbal Town, then lower measurements in 39 mm and other city areas in Nishtar town.
The Lahore Waste Management Company (LWMC) deployed workers on Key City roads, including Jail Road, Mall Road, Data Darbar, Circular Way, Aik Moria Pul, Do Moria Pul and Mcleod Road to provide uninterrupted cleaning operations. More than 6,000 waste containers were cleaned as part of regular waste collection, even during the clutter.
Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) General Manager Irfan Ali Kathia, “143 citizens were killed, 200 houses were affected and 488 citizens were injured in a month because of the rainfall.”
“There is a risk of urban floods due to monsoon rains in Lahore, Sialkot, Faisalabad and Gujranwala” and PDMA’s flood response arrangements were completed.
Prime Minister Maryam Nawaz instructed the authorities to compensate for farmers who were seriously damaged by the floods. Dawn ordered financial aid to the residents of mud houses that were destroyed during torrents.
Multan also took heavy showers that wanted Multan Wasa Director General Khalid Raza Khan to impose an emergency. He directed the field staff to clean the rain water from all big city areas.
(With inputs from the moment)
