LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister (CM) Maryam Nawaz has declared an emergency in all hospitals across the province amid the flood situation
Presiding over a four-hour-long meeting focused on all flood-affected areas across Punjab, the chief minister cancelled all leaves of hospital staff with immediate effect.
Hospital staff have been ordered to remain on 24-hour alert to handle any emergencies promptly.
During the meeting, relief and rescue reports regarding flood-affected districts were presented.
Maryam Nawaz also issued instructions to ensure the availability of emergency medicines, including those for snake bites and other urgent treatments, in every hospital.
The services of the army were called in seven districts including Lahore, Kasur, Sialkot, Narowal, Faisalabad, Okara, and Sargodha.
The chief minister was informed in the briefing that all relevant departments of the Punjab government are monitoring the flood situation 24/7.
It was told that the district administration, PDMA, Rescue 1122, Civil Defense, and Police are engaged in carrying out rescue and relief operations on the front line. The districts of Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, and Bahawalpur were declared affected due to flooding in the Sutlej River. As many as 72 villages and 45,000 people in Kasur district were badly affected by the high level of flooding in the Sutlej River.
It was further informed in the briefing that 12 villages in Pakpattan, 23 in Vehari, 75 in Bahawalnagar, and 15 villages in Bahawalpur have been affected by the flood. A total of 130 boats, 115 OBMs, 6 AMB bikes, 1300 life jackets, and 245 life rings have been delivered to the affected districts. More than 150,000 people and 35,000 livestock have been shifted to safe places and relief camps along with medical and veterinary camps have been established.
More than 2600 flood victims are being treated in the medical relief camps.
August 27, 2025– As Pakistan grapples with yet another season of relentless monsoon rains and recent floods, the nation’s history of catastrophic flooding comes into sharp focus. From the flash floods that ravaged Balochistan in 1998 to the unprecedented deluge of 2022 that submerged a third of the country, and now the ongoing 2025 crisis claiming hundreds of lives, these events underscore the escalating threat of climate-driven disasters.
The situation calls for us to look into a pattern of increasing intensity and widespread damage, with vulnerable communities bearing the brunt. Adding to the complexity, India’s recent release of water from its dams in the Occupied Kashmir, following heavy rains, has heightened flood risks in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab, which faces an “exceptionally high” risk due to cross-border water flows.
The 1998 Floods: A Localized Tragedy
The 1998 floods, though less documented than recent calamities, marked a grim chapter in Pakistan’s disaster timeline. Triggered by intense flash flooding in March, primarily in southwestern regions like Balochistan, the event was characterized by sudden, high-velocity water surges amid poor weather conditions. Over 300 people lost their lives, with an additional 1,500 reported missing, as rescue efforts were severely hampered by damaged infrastructure and inaccessible terrain. Approximately 200,000 individuals were affected overall, with 25,000 left homeless after more than 3,700 homes were destroyed.
While economic losses were not comprehensively quantified at the time, the destruction of homes and roads inflicted lasting setbacks on local economies, particularly in rural areas reliant on agriculture and basic infrastructure.
The 2022 Deluge: A National Catastrophe
Fast-forward to 2022, and the scale of devastation reached apocalyptic levels, often described as Pakistan’s worst flooding in history. Fueled by record-breaking monsoon rains—exacerbated by climate change—the floods inundated one-third of the country from June to September, affecting provinces including Sindh, Balochistan, Punjab, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Intensity was extreme, with rainfall exceeding historical averages by 7-8% in some basins, leading to widespread submergence and flash floods.
The human toll was staggering: around 1,700 deaths, with 33 million people impacted and 8 million displaced. Infrastructure crumbled, with over 1.5 million homes destroyed or damaged, and 4 million hectares of agricultural land—key to crops like cotton and rice—ruined. Economic damages soared to an estimated $30-40 billion, pushing nearly 9 million more into poverty and triggering long-term issues like food insecurity and disease outbreaks. Experts attribute the amplified severity to melting glaciers and erratic weather patterns, turning what was once a seasonal blessing into a national emergency.
The 2025 Crisis: A Haunting Echo
Now, in 2025, Pakistan faces a haunting echo of these past tragedies, with monsoon floods since late June claiming at least 802 lives—half in August alone—many from flash floods, landslides, and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs)—as heavy rains batter KP, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, and Gilgit-Baltistan. Climate scientists note that global warming has likely intensified the rainfall, exacerbating urban and riverine flooding in exposed areas. As of August 26, provincial breakdowns highlight KP as the hardest hit, with 479 deaths in districts like Buner and Shangla alone, alongside over 4,000 homes damaged and 674 schools affected. Nationally, nearly 1,000 people have been injured, over 4,700 homes destroyed, and thousands displaced, including 24,000 evacuated in Punjab’s floodplains.
The situation has been further complicated by India’s release of approximately 200,000 cusecs of water from major dams in its part of the Kashmir region on August 27, following heavy monsoon rains. This has prompted warnings of potential downstream flooding in Pakistan, particularly in Punjab, the country’s breadbasket, which is home to half of its 240 million people. Pakistan’s disaster management authorities issued alerts for flooding on three rivers flowing from India, with the army deployed to assist in rescue, relief, and evacuation efforts in already inundated areas. The number of displaced people in Punjab alone has now exceeded 167,000, including nearly 40,000 who evacuated voluntarily since August 14. Pakistani officials noted that India had issued two prior flood warnings since Sunday, highlighting the recurring challenge of managing cross-border water flows, a routine practice when Indian dams reach capacity.
Economic losses remain unquantified amid the ongoing crisis, but damage to bridges, water systems, and irrigation channels signals billions in potential recovery costs, with health issues like malaria and skin infections surging. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) warns of continued high flood risks in rivers like the Sutlej and Chenab, with more rain expected until mid-September.
Comparing the three events reveals a troubling escalation. The 1998 floods, while deadly, were more localized with around 300 confirmed deaths and 200,000 affected, reflecting lower population density and less intense global climate influences at the time. By 2022, the crisis ballooned to affect 33 million, with damages amplified by rapid urbanization and deforestation. This year’s floods, though not yet matching 2022’s scope, have already surpassed 1998’s death toll and show signs of similar widespread disruption, driven by increasingly unpredictable monsoons and compounded by cross-border water releases from India. The tense India-Pakistan relations, strained further by a brief conflict in May 2025—the worst in decades—raise concerns that flooding attributed to Indian dam releases could inflame bilateral tensions.
Experts in Pakistan and abroad have urged a shift from reactive relief to proactive adaptation, including better early warning systems and resilient infrastructure. As one survivor in KP told reporters, “We rebuild, but the waters keep coming stronger.” With climate change fueling these patterns, and the added complexity of cross-border water management, Pakistan’s floods are no longer rare anomalies—they’re a new normal demanding urgent global action.
ISLAMABAD: The Power Division has issued an emergency alert to all electricity distribution companies (DISCOs) across Pakistan in view of the ongoing flood situation.
According to the directive, all DISCOs have been instructed to ensure uninterrupted power supply during heavy rains and flooding. Measures must be taken to safeguard the power infrastructure, including substations, feeders, and control rooms.
The Power Division asserted that operational teams should remain on high alert and be fully prepared to respond to any emergency.
A special flood monitoring cell has also been established within the Power Division, and all DISCOs have been directed to submit daily reports.
Furthermore, the companies have been advised to maintain close coordination with local disaster management authorities and other relevant institutions to minimize risks and ensure swift response during the crisis.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif assured that all issues caused by floods across the provinces will be addressed through full national coordination, as the country braces for rising water levels in Rivers Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab.
Chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, the prime minister praised the advance warnings issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), saying timely alerts helped avert major loss of life and property. He directed that the early-warning system should continue with greater effectiveness.
Shehbaz Sharif noted that NDMA has already supplied tents to Punjab’s flood-hit areas and asserted that the provision of other essential relief items must not be interrupted.
He instructed the authorities to take immediate administrative steps to prepare for possible urban flooding in Gujrat, Sialkot, and Lahore.
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has assured that all issues caused by floods across the provinces will be addressed through full national coordination, as the country braces for rising water levels in Rivers Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab.
Chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Tuesday, the prime minister praised the advance warnings issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), saying timely alerts helped avert major loss of life and property. He directed that the early-warning system should continue with greater effectiveness.
Shehbaz Sharif noted that NDMA has already supplied tents to Punjab’s flood-hit areas and asserted that the provision of other essential relief items must not be interrupted.
He instructed the authorities to take immediate administrative steps to prepare for possible urban flooding in Gujrat, Sialkot, and Lahore.
The premier further directed officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply, restore communication networks, and repair damaged roads without delay.
He ordered the Minister for Communications, Minister for Power, Secretary Power, and Chairman NHA to reach Lahore and provide practical support to Punjab’s government.
Highlighting the federal government’s earlier assistance to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during recent floods, Shehbaz Sharif assured that the same cooperation will be extended to Punjab and Sindh.
He stressed the importance of timely evacuation, safe relocation, and close supervision of relief operations, urging elected representatives and institutions to remain actively engaged at the district and tehsil levels.
Briefing the meeting, NDMA officials warned of high-level flooding risks at Head Marala and Khanki due to surging water in River Chenab. Heavy water discharge was also reported at Jassar and Shahdara in River Ravi, and Ganda Singh Wala and Sulemanki in River Sutlej.
To facilitate evacuation, NDMA has deployed 2,000 trucks on standby.
The prime minister directed that preventive measures be implemented under a comprehensive strategy to protect lives, property, crops, and livestock from flood damage.
