Severe monsoon floods have wreaked havoc in Pakistan’s Punjab province, claiming the lives of at least 33 people and displacing over 700,000 residents. According to News, heavy rainfall has affected nearly 2,200 villages, forcing mass evacuations across the region.

Irfan Ali Kathia, Director General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab, described the current situation as one of the most severe flood crises in the province’s history. All three major rivers are flowing at dangerously high levels. However, he noted that water levels in the Sutlej River near Kasur are beginning to subside, providing some relief to nearby areas.

Authorities warn that a flow of 135,000 cusecs is expected to reach Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar, and Vehari by tomorrow, prompting precautionary evacuations. At Treemoon Barrage, water discharge surged to 361,633 cusecs, marking a sudden increase of 100,000 cusecs in a short period. To manage the situation, officials are breaching embankments strategically to divert floodwaters and minimize damage to vulnerable communities.

The PDMA reported that nearly 2 million people have been affected across Punjab, with relief teams deployed in the worst-hit districts. Thousands of livestock have also been relocated to safer areas. The ongoing ninth spell of monsoon rains has intensified the crisis, causing extensive destruction and escalating flood risks.

Meanwhile, in Sindh, officials fear that more than 1.6 million people across 1,657 villages could be affected by floods. Sindh’s Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon stated that preventive measures are being implemented, and district authorities are actively involved in relief efforts. The flooding, caused by rising water levels in the Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi rivers due to heavy rains, has already submerged large areas in Punjab, where over 1.5 million people have been impacted and 481,000 evacuated.