- DG Kathia says 44.7m affected in Punjab with 2.48m acres farmland submerged while 106,000 still in relief camps
- Says 1,779 animals lost, infrastructure crippled and crops, including rice, corn, sugarcane, cotton devastated
LAHORE: The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) on Friday declared the 2025 monsoon season officially over, calling it one of the deadliest and most destructive in Pakistan’s history. The torrential rains and floods that began on June 26 left at least 1,006 people dead nationwide, including 123 deaths in Punjab since August 26 alone.
“Today, I inform you from PDMA Punjab that our monsoon practically is almost over now, and no strong or even weak system is forecasted for the next week,” PDMA Punjab Director General Irfan Ali Kathia said at a press conference.
According to PDMA data, Punjab was among the hardest-hit regions, recording nearly 300 deaths since the onset of monsoons. More than 44.7 million people in the province were affected, while crops on 2.48 million acres of farmland were destroyed and nearly 1,800 livestock lost. Officials warn the damage could have severe long-term implications for food security in the country’s breadbasket province.
Kathia said major rivers, including the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej, had now returned to normal or below-normal levels, easing the flood threat. However, he noted that around 106,000 people remained in relief camps across southern Punjab districts such as Multan, Jalalpur Pirwala, and Muzaffargarh. At the height of the crisis, authorities had set up 500 relief camps, supported by 425 mobile and fixed medical units.
Crops and Livestock
The PDMA chief reported that rice had suffered the biggest losses, accounting for 44% of the inundated farmland, followed by corn (16%), sugarcane (13%), and cotton (5%). “Approximately 2,482,617 acres of crops have been inundated in Punjab,” Kathia said.
The floods also claimed the lives of 1,779 animals, with 824 still missing, though authorities had managed to relocate over 2 million livestock to safer areas. A digital survey, beginning September 24, will assess crop, livestock, structural, and human losses for compensation.
Rescue and Relief
Kathia credited rescue agencies for saving 2.4 million people during peak flooding, including 37,000 boat trips carried out by Punjab’s Rescue 1122 and the Pakistan Army.
Infrastructure too was badly hit. The M5 Motorway, linking Multan with other parts of Punjab, saw a 22-kilometre stretch between Jalalpur Pirwala and Jhangra submerged, with 73 culverts coming under stress, five of which were damaged. “The water is receding gradually,” Kathia said, adding that repair work was ongoing with support from the National Highway Authority and federal agencies.
Climate Challenge
Experts note that Pakistan, though responsible for just 1% of global greenhouse gas emissions, remains among the countries most severely affected by climate change. The 2025 floods have drawn comparisons with the catastrophic 2022 deluge, which killed 1,700 people, affected 33 million, and caused more than $30 billion in economic damage.
“The scale of this year’s destruction is a stark reminder that Pakistan’s climate vulnerability is growing,” Kathia stressed, calling for sustained investment in disaster preparedness and climate adaptation measures.
