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