Riverine flooding in Punjab has claimed at least 25 lives, as devastating floods caused by unusually heavy monsoon rains and upstream discharge of water by India in Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers.
Flooding claimed lives of five members of a family in Sambarial in Sialkot district. Floods claimed 15 lives in Gujranwala division, four deaths in Gujrat, three in Narowal and two persons in Hafizabad district of Punjab.
Flooding wreaked havoc in various districts as hundreds of villages submerged in Kasur, Narowal and Pindi Bhattian, leaving thousands of people homeless.
Raging floodwaters swept away hundreds of cattle and destroyed thousands of acres crops. In Bahawalnagar several houses drowned in water.
Floodwater of Chenab River entered in dozens of the villages in Chiniot and Wazirabad.
According to the Flood Forecasting Division, the River Ravi at Shahdara, Punjab has reached to a dangerous level with a flow of around 145,000 cusecs, while at Jassar it recorded 152,000 cusecs. The Lahore Commissioner said the peak flow has now passed and the water level is expected to recede, adding that the city remains safe and under control.
In the River Chenab, an extremely high flood has been reported at Khanki and Qadirabad barrages with water flows reaching 859,000 and 996,000 cusecs respectively. At Head Marala, the flow is around 191,000 cusecs. Authorities have warned nearby areas to remain vigilant as the situation remains critical.