ISLAMABAD: River flows across Pakistan’s Punjab province remained normal on Tuesday despite rising water levels following a recent spell of monsoon rains, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said, ruling out any immediate threat of flooding.
The update came as Pakistan continues to recover from weeks of torrential rains and riverine floods that inundated large parts of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, damaging homes, infrastructure and farmland. The monsoon season, which began in late July, has claimed at least 1,037 lives in incidents including roof collapses, landslides and flash floods.
Punjab, the country’s agricultural heartland, experienced one of its worst floods in years after neighboring India released excess water into three major rivers, affecting millions of people across the province.
“River flows in Punjab are currently normal,” said PDMA Punjab Director General Irfan Ali Kathia in a statement. “While rainfall has led to an increase in water levels, there is no risk of flooding at this stage.”
According to the PDMA, the flow in the Ravi River was recorded at 23,000 cusecs at Jassar, 22,000 cusecs at Shahdara, 55,000 cusecs at Balloki and 45,000 cusecs at Sidhnai.
The Sutlej River had flows of 59,000 cusecs at Ganda Singh Wala and 31,000 cusecs at Sulemanki, while the Chenab River recorded 31,000 cusecs at Marala, 17,000 at Khanki, 11,000 at Qadirabad and 11,000 at Trimmu.
At Panjnad, the flow stood at 30,000 cusecs.
The PDMA said water levels were expected to rise further in the next 24 hours in the Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum rivers, though all remained within safe limits.
It also reported that no water flow was observed in hill torrents across the Dera Ghazi Khan division, an area that often experiences flash flooding during heavy monsoon rains.
The statement said the PDMA’s control room continued to monitor the situation round the clock and coordinate with irrigation and district authorities to ensure timely alerts and preventive measures.
