Punjab reels under floods as India's Sutlej release submerges villages

LAHORE (Dunya News) – Punjab continues to be gripped by severe flooding after India released fresh water into the Sutlej River on Tuesday, submerging hundreds of villages and displacing thousands of residents.

Authorities issued a red alert as the deluge inundated settlements in Kasur, Vehari, Bahawalpur, and Multan districts, compounding the devastation already caused by high levels in Punjab’s major rivers.

The flood situation worsened after 327,000 cusecs of water surged through Ganda Singhwala headworks, overwhelming embankments and forcing mass evacuations.

تاریخ 09 ستمبر، 2025
وقت اجرا 15:00 PST
دریائے ستلج میں گنڈا سنگھ والا کے مقام پر انتہائی اونچے درجے کا سیلاب برقرار#FloodAlert #RiverDischarge #PakistanWeather #FloodForecast #HighFlow #ChenabRiver #RaviRiver #SutlejRiver #WaterLevels #DisasterManagement #StaySafePakistan pic.twitter.com/fLptxs8n7h

— Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) September 9, 2025

Rescue teams deployed helicopters and boats to evacuate stranded families, with announcements from mosques urging residents to leave their homes immediately.

Sutlej inundation

In Kasur and Bahawalpur, the Sutlej River maintained dangerously high levels, sweeping through farmlands and villages. Floodwaters entered residential localities in Chak Kehil, forcing families to abandon homes as rescue workers moved them to safer ground. The Punjab Irrigation Department reported a water flow of 125,000 cusecs at Head Islam, while Jamlera in Burewala tehsil recorded more than 170,000 cusecs. At Mailsi Siphon, discharge crossed 117,000 cusecs.

Sutlej swells after India releases more water

Vehari and surrounding tehsils remain under water, with nearly 93 villages inundated and over 61,000 acres of cotton, rice, and sugarcane fields destroyed. More than 80,000 people and 58,000 cattle have been shifted to safety, as local officials warned that further rainfall could worsen conditions.

Chenab overflow

The Chenab River also wreaked havoc in southern Punjab. Jalalpur Pirwala tehsil of Multan saw over 100 settlements submerged, while in Liaquatpur more than 35 villages were engulfed by floodwaters. To protect major towns, embankments such as the Vehari bridge were deliberately breached, though authorities warned the next 12 hours remained critical.

Flood levels in Panjnad and Trimmum areas have been described as dangerous, with heavy rains in Jalalpur Pirwala worsening the plight of flood-hit residents.

Indus under strain

Floodwaters are now moving downstream into Sindh. At Guddu Barrage, flow levels have risen to 416,000 cusecs, with forecasts warning of a surge up to 800,000 cusecs. Authorities fear a vast stretch of kachha areas may be submerged and have placed the region on high alert. In Khanpur, the Indus River has reached 782,000 cusecs, with predictions of close to one million cusecs within 24 hours.

The Sindh government stated the situation remains under control, with continuous monitoring underway, though evacuations are taking place in vulnerable zones. Low-level flooding was also reported at Sukkur.

Rain alert and flood deaths

While Punjab bears the brunt of the current deluge, the flooding has impacted other regions across Pakistan. The Pakistan Meteorological Department has forecast torrential to very heavy rains across Sindh and parts of Balochistan, raising concerns of fresh emergencies.

Torrential/very heavy rains are predicted across Sindh and parts of Balochistan during next 4 hours#pmdupdate #torrentialrain #SindhWeather #karachi #hyderabad #UrbanFlooding #hubdam #RainAlert #PakistanWeather #balochistanweather #costalflooding pic.twitter.com/umFFt6wVgb

— Pak Met Department محکمہ موسمیات (@pmdgov) September 9, 2025

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) confirmed that this rain spell is expected to be the last intense phase of the current monsoon, though post-monsoon systems may follow at lower intensity. Nationwide, flood and rain-related casualties have climbed to 928, with thousands more displaced.

No let-up in flood devastation as 12 more die in one day

The Punjab Disaster Management Authority added that India had formally communicated its water release via its High Commission, alerting Pakistan to high flood levels at Harike and Ferozepur downstream in the Sutlej.

As rivers continue to swell and more rains loom, authorities remain on high alert to prevent further loss of life and damage in already battered provinces.