Families displaced from the flood-hit areas of Zahir Pir near Liaquatpur are being evacuated to the Manchan embankment on boats and ferries.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif received the affected families disembarking from boats during her visit to the area.
The chief minister commended the efforts of Rescue 1122 teams and the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) for the ongoing rescue and relief operations.
She directed the relevant authorities to make mandatory the use of life jackets and rings during all rescue and relief operations
She was briefed about the evacuation. The flooding has affected 35 villages on the outskirts of Liaquatpur, including Noorwala, Gul Muhammad Langah, Dera Fareedi and Chohan.
The chief minister was informed that 84,721 residents and approximately 43 square kilometres of land had been severely affected due to the ongoing floods.
Officials said that in order to support the flood victims, six relief camps, several medical camps, three boat-based clinics and 12 clinics-on-wheels had been set up.
They added that 12,604 people and 488 livestock had been evacuated from flood-hit suburban areas of Zahir Pir during the ongoing rescue and relief operations.
In the flood-affected areas of Gul Muhammad Langah, a total of 52 boats with rescue and police teams had been deployed to facilitate the relief efforts.
On Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif’s directions, Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb and Health Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique reached Shujaabad Bypass early in the morning to visit Gardez drain.
The senior minister reviewed the flood situation in the area.
Punjab Chief Minister.Maryam Nawaz Sharif paid rich tribute to the hero of the 1965 war, Major Aziz Bhatti Shaheed, on his martyrdom anniversary. She stated, “The nation salutes those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the beloved homeland.” She added that the nation would never forget the sacrifices of its brave martyrs. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz also congratulated a women mountaineers’ team for scaling the Barila Peak. She praised the courage and determination of the team, including its leader Bibi Afzon.
Meanwhile, in a tragic incident in Basti Adam Wahan, Minshi Wala, 14-year-old Abdul Rehman, drowned after slipping into standing floodwater in the fields.
Abdul Rehman was heading towards the fields with his grandfather Mukhtar, son of Ghulam Hussain, and uncle Aqeel, son of Mukhtar, when he lost his footing and fell into the water. Rescue teams reached the site and, after a three-hour operation, recovered the body and handed it over to the family.
The bereaved family confirmed that the boy had slipped into the water, leading to his drowning. Despite Section 144 being imposed by the district administration due to the flood situation, its enforcement remains weak, and children are frequently seen bathing in floodwater in various areas.
Meanwhile, several areas of Lodhran have been submerged following breaches in protective embankments. District Emergency Officer Engineer Shakeel Ahmad supervised rescue operations in the riverine areas today.
Rescue 1122 teams successfully evacuated over 1,000 stranded flood victims to safer places.
The teams are also shifting livestock and household belongings to safety. Currently, 160 Rescue 1122 personnel, supported by 24 boats, are engaged in flood relief operations across the district.
