High alert in 9 Punjab districts as India releases more water into Sutlej

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Authorities have issued high flood alert across nine districts of Punjab following high inflow in the Sutlej River from India.

The emergency alert has been issued in Kasur, Okara, Bahawalnagar, Pakpattan, Vehari, Lodhran, Bahawalpur, Multan, and Muzaffargarh.

Severe flooding triggered by high inflows in the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers has caused widespread devastation across Punjab, affecting more than 2 million people and claiming at least 41 lives so far.

At Head Mohammad Wala in Multan, a major flood wave of 450,000 cusecs entered the Chenab River, striking the city's primary flood defense at the Akbar Flood Bund. The road to Head Mohammad Wala has been completely closed as authorities prepared for emergency breaching operations. Hundreds of villages from Jhok Venus to Head Mohammad Wala are already submerged, with large-scale evacuations underway.

Multan braces for another flood wave tonight, as authorities prepare for controlled explosions to divert water away from populated zones. Dynamite has been planted along Head Mohammad Wala Road to facilitate emergency breaching if required.

The situation remains critical near Basti Bosan where the rising water levels of the Chenab have begun to enter low-lying areas. Schools, such as the one in Jhok Arabi, have been flooded, disrupting educational activities.

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In Toba Tek Singh district, the flood wave passed through Tandlianwala and entered Kamalia, inundating dozens of villages, farmland, and key access roads. A major breach on the GT Road between Lahore and Faisalabad has completely halted traffic, isolating several areas.

Head Trimmu is facing an extremely high-level flood with water flows recorded at 479,743 cusecs. The Chenab River's powerful flood surge has already entered Muzaffargarh and affected over 250 villages around Jhang. In Chiniot alone, 141 villages and over 200,000 people have been impacted.

In Sindh, a low-level flood persists at Sukkur, Kotri, and Guddu barrages. Despite government warnings, many residents in riverine (katcha) areas remain reluctant to evacuate.
Meanwhile, the National Polio Eradication Programme has raised alarms over a potential outbreak of polio and other waterborne diseases in flood-affected areas.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), extremely high-level floods are expected to persist in all three rivers—Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab—until at least September 5.

Forecasted rains in the upper catchment areas by September 3 may further worsen the situation, increasing the threat of urban flooding in cities like Lahore, Gujranwala, and Gujrat.