Pakistan: Floods hit over dozen villages in Punjab, thousands evacuated

Lahore [Pakistan], July 29 (ANI): Floodwaters from the Indus and Chenab rivers have indundated more than a dozen villages across Pakistan’s Punjab province, forcing thousands of residents to evacuate, destroying homes, crops, and roads, Dawn reported on Tuesday.

In Rajanpur district, floods damaged standing crops and submerged low-lying areas. Water from the Indus also affected villages in Taunsa and Dera Ghazi Khan. In Taunsa, residents fled after a breach appeared in a National Highway Authority-built embankment near the Layyah-Taunsa bridge. The floodwaters submerged villages like Basti Kumharan, Basti Mangotha, and Basti Sohbewala of Punjab province.

Hundreds of people from Bait Ashraf and Jarh Leghari villages in Taunsa waited for help after their homes and roads went under water. Some residents moved to higher ground with limited supplies.

In Jhang district, the Chenab River overflowed, flooding more than 10 villages and damaging houses, crops, and roads. In Hafizabad, erosion along the Chenab washed away hundreds of acres of farmland. Rainwater has remained stagnant for over 10 days in Hafizabad and Sukheke towns, worsening the situation.

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) predicts that July 29-31 will see more rainfall. The department warned of low-to-medium-level floods in the Jhelum and Chenab rivers and flash floods in tributaries of the Kabul River and hill torrents in D.G. Khan and Rajanpur. It also predicted medium-level floods in the Indus River at Taunsa and Guddu, as per Dawn.

The Punjab Disaster Management Authority reported that 152 people have died and 539 have been injured in monsoon-related incidents this year. Causes include electrocution, drowning, building collapse, and lightning. The report also confirmed that 210 houses and 121 livestock were affected, according to Dawn.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a fresh alert as a new rain spell begins. The NDMA asked local authorities to stay on high alert, deploy rescue teams, and clear drainage systems.

In Punjab, heavy rainfall is expected in Sargodha, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Sialkot, Faisalabad, Lahore, and Narowal. Moderate rain is likely in DG Khan, Rajanpur, and Rahim Yar Khan.

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, districts like Kohistan, Swat, Dir, and Buner could see thunderstorms and flooding. Rivers like Swat, Panjkora, and Kalpani Nullah may swell and raise water levels in River Kabul. Urban flooding is expected in Peshawar, Mardan, Nowshera, and Abbottabad.

Glacial melting and rain could also increase water levels in Chitral’s rivers. Pakistani authorities have issued flood alerts in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Gilgit, Skardu, Hunza, and Shigar areas, as well as in Azad Jammu and Kashmir’s Muzaffarabad, Neelum Valley, and Bagh, according to Dawn. (ANI)

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