Relief efforts intensified as death toll rises, hundreds of villages submerged
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Thursday visited flood-hit areas of Punjab to assess damage caused by overflowing Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers. They were briefed on rescue operations during an aerial survey of the hardest-hit districts, including Narowal and Gujranwala division.
NDMA Chairman Lt Gen Inam Haider had earlier informed the Prime Minister about the nationwide flood situation. Shehbaz Sharif directed authorities to take “all necessary steps” to contain further losses and speed up relief efforts. Both leaders are expected to receive a detailed briefing in Narowal.
Heavy losses in Punjab
Officials confirmed 15 deaths in Gujranwala division — including five in Sialkot, four in Gujrat, three in Narowal, two in Hafizabad, and one in Gujranwala — while three people remain missing.
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Over 600,000 people affected across Punjab
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150,000 people and 35,000 livestock evacuated
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769 villages submerged, millions of acres of farmland destroyed
According to the UN’s humanitarian office (UNOCHA), this year’s monsoon-related deaths are nearly three times higher than last year.
Kartarpur Gurdwara under water
Floodwaters entered the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib Kartarpur in Narowal, submerging its grounds. More than 150 pilgrims and staff trapped inside were rescued with the assistance of Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal and provincial minister Ramesh Singh Arora. The Narowal–Shakargarh road has also been cut off, leaving nearby villages isolated.
Displacement across districts
Flooding has spread to Sheikhupura, Nankana Sahib, Okara, Tandlianwala tehsil of Faisalabad, and parts of Sahiwal. Villages such as Hira, Nawan Kot, and Khizra Abad in Nankana Sahib remain submerged, while Okara’s Jandran Kalan — home to more than 30,000 people — has been inundated. Authorities warn over 100 settlements in Faisalabad’s Tandlianwala tehsil could be affected.
The Punjab government has established 263 relief camps and 161 medical camps. Food supplies, shelter, and medical assistance are being provided as emergency teams remain on high alert.
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