Heavy rain batters Pakistans Punjab province, mass evacuation underway
Floodwaters from the Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers have entered vast stretches of agricultural land and residential areas, severely affecting districts such as Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, and Jhang.
PTC News Desk: Low-to-medium level flooding in several rivers of Punjab has inundated houses and standing crops in hundreds of villages, forcing mass evacuations and displacing scores of residents, Dawn reported.
According to Dawn, floodwaters from the Ravi, Sutlej, Indus, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers have entered vast stretches of agricultural land and residential areas, severely affecting districts such as Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, and Jhang.
Evacuation operations are currently underway in multiple vulnerable villages, especially in the katcha areas along the Indus and Chenab rivers. Over 20 villages in Jhang have reported flooding due to rising water levels in the River Jhelum, with hundreds of acres of crops underwater, Dawn reported.
People in the affected districts have been forced to relocate to safer areas with their cattle, as their homes, farmlands, and roads have been damaged by the rising waters. "The inundation of roads has made it further difficult for the people to move around and access essential services," Dawn reported.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department's (PMD) flood forecasting division said the Indus River is in low flood at Tarbela, Kalabagh, Chashma, Taunsa, and Guddu, while the Chenab at Khanki is also witnessing low flood conditions. Other rivers like the Ravi, Sutlej, and Jhelum are flowing within normal range, according to Dawn.