ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s largest province Punjab has imposed a ban on public gatherings till August 30 to deter people from bathing in rivers, ponds, canals and other places, an official notification said on Thursday, as relentless monsoon rains battered large swathes of the country to push the death toll close to 190. 

Pakistan’s disaster management authorities has warned of rising water levels and flood alerts, especially in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, as intense monsoon activity swept across northeastern and central Pakistan. This prompted emergency declarations, evacuation adviseries and a heightened state of alert across provincial administrations.

In Punjab, the country’s most populous province, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said 103 people had died and 393 had been injured in rain-related incidents since the start of the monsoon season in late June. Of these, 63 were killed in the last 24 hours and 290 were injured, while 128 houses were damaged in total, the PDMA said. 

“The Punjab Home Secretary has imposed Section 144 across the province in light of monsoon rains, rising water levels, and prevailing weather conditions,” a statement from the Punjab Home Department’s director of public relations said. 

Section 144 empowers authorities to impose a ban on public gatherings of four or more persons for a limited amount of time.

The statement said all forms of swimming and boating have been completely banned in dams, rivers, canals, ponds, and lakes across the province. The statement added bathing in rainwater collected on streets, roads, open areas or public spaces has also been banned.

 Most of the casualties in Punjab over the last 24 hours occurred in densely populated districts such as Lahore, Faisalabad, Okara, Sahiwal and Pakpattan, largely due to roof collapses in structurally vulnerable homes.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said the nationwide death toll stood at 124 on Wednesday. With the latest fatalities in Punjab, it has risen to at least 187.

“Over the next 24 hours, intense rainfall could trigger flash floods in cities and cause surging water levels in streams and rivers,” the NDMA said Thursday. “Heavy downpours are expected to continue in Rawalpindi and Islamabad for the next 24 to 48 hours, raising the risk of flooding in low-lying areas and along Nullah Lai.”

“Residents near the stream are advised to prepare for possible evacuation if warning sirens are sounded and cooperate fully with local authorities,” the statement added.

Authorities have urged people to vacate unsafe structures, avoid flood-prone zones and keep children indoors as flash floods, collapsing roofs and overflowing drains pose acute threats to life in several regions.

The NDMA said it had instructed local agencies to remain on high alert, ensure the availability of rescue and drainage equipment and coordinate early warning efforts. People were advised to make advance arrangements for food, drinking water and emergency supplies.

EMERGENCY IN RAWALPINDI

In Rawalpindi, a city of more than 2 million, over 230 millimeters of rainfall was recorded in just 15 hours, prompting local authorities to declare a state of emergency.

Water levels in the Nullah Lai stream surged to 20 feet at Katarian and 19 feet at Gawalmandi, according to the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA). A local holiday was declared to minimize public movement in flooded areas.

“Rescue and relief equipment was distributed in advance to district authorities ahead of the monsoon,” the PDMA said.

“In view of the emergency in Rawalpindi, Rescue 1122 currently has 16 OBM [outboard motor] boats, 205 life jackets, 31 ambulances, 19 fire brigades and 4 rescue vehicles on standby.”

Evacuation announcements were being made from mosques in high-risk areas. Authorities called on residents living near Nullah Lai to cooperate with relocation efforts if needed.

In the federal capital Islamabad, rain continued intermittently for several hours. Sanitation workers were deployed to clear clogged drains, assistant commissioners inspected stormwater infrastructure and traffic police were dispatched to manage congestion on waterlogged roads.

FLASH FLOODS IN PUNJAB

In other parts of Punjab, including Chakwal, heavy rainfall caused significant disruption. A cloudburst in Chakwal dropped 423 millimeters of rain, flooding low-lying areas and inundating homes, according to local TV channel Geo News. Rescue operations were launched and evacuations were underway.

In Jhelum, the Pakistan Army conducted an emergency airlift operation after flash floods stranded 40 people in the Deras of Mouza Dhok Biddar and Nakkan Kalan. Due to heavy rainfall, boat rescues were not possible, and helicopters were used to evacuate all individuals safely.

Pakistan contributes less than one percent to global greenhouse gas emissions but is among the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Shifting monsoon patterns, accelerated glacial melt and extreme weather events have increased the frequency and severity of climate-linked disasters.

In 2022, record-breaking monsoon rains combined with glacial melt submerged nearly a third of Pakistan, killing more than 1,700 people and displacing over 8 million.