Disaster agency says Punjab rivers stable after monsoon rains, no immediate flood risk

Residents board a boat while other wait for Rescue 1122 boat as they evacuate from the flooded area, following monsoon rains and rising water levels of the Chenab River, in Qasim Bela village on the outskirts of Multan in Punjab province, Pakistan, September 11, 2025. (Reuters/File)
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Updated 07 October 2025
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Disaster agency says Punjab rivers stable after monsoon rains, no immediate flood risk

  • PDMA says water levels expected to rise in Sutlej, Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum but they remain within safe limits
  • Monsoon season since late July has killed more than 1,000 people in Pakistan, damaged homes and farmland

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.


Pakistan Navy seizes $3 million of narcotics in Arabian Sea under regional security patrol

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Pakistan Navy seizes $3 million of narcotics in Arabian Sea under regional security patrol

  • Official statement says the haul was made during an anti-narcotics operation conducted by PNS Yamama
  • Seizure comes after a record haul of nearly $972 million was reported in the North Arabian Sea in October

KARACHI: Pakistan Navy said on Sunday a patrol vessel operating in the Arabian Sea had seized 1,500 kg of narcotics, the latest interdiction under a regional maritime security deployment aimed at curbing illicit activity along key shipping routes.

The operation took place under the Regional Maritime Security Patrol (RMSP), a Pakistan-led initiative that deploys naval assets across the Arabian Sea and adjoining waters to deter smuggling, piracy and other non-traditional security threats.

The framework combines independent patrols with coordination involving regional and international partners.

“Pakistan Navy Ship Yamama, while deployed on Regional Maritime Security Patrol in the Arabian Sea, successfully conducted an anti-narcotics operation, leading to the seizure of 1,500 kilograms of hashish valued at approximately 3 million US dollars,” the Navy said.

The interdiction, it added, underscored the force’s “unwavering commitment to combating illicit activities and ensuring security in the maritime domain.”

Pakistan Navy said it routinely undertakes RMSP missions to safeguard national maritime interests through “robust vigilance and effective presence at sea,” and continues to play a proactive role in collaborative maritime-security efforts with other regional navies.

The seizure comes amid heightened counter-narcotics activity at sea.

In October, a Pakistani vessel seized a haul worth nearly $972 million in what authorities described as one of the largest drug seizures ever reported in the North Arabian Sea.

Last month, Pakistan Navy units operating under a Saudi Arabia-led multinational task force seized about 2,000 kg of methamphetamine, valued at roughly $130 million, highlighting the role of regional cooperation in disrupting trafficking networks.