Lahore, Aug 24 (Sunday): Authorities in Pakistan’s Punjab province have evacuated more than 19,000 people from flood-affected areas along the Sutlej River ahead of a fresh monsoon spell that threatens to worsen the crisis, Dawn reported.
According to Rescue 1122 spokesperson Farooq Ahmad, evacuation efforts intensified on Saturday as floodwaters continued to rise in low-lying areas. Officials said the next 96 hours are critical as heavy rains are expected to hit Punjab and nearby regions.
The looming monsoon spell also poses risks to Gilgit-Baltistan, which has already suffered successive floods. In Ghizer district, a glacial lake outburst flood in Talidas village displaced more than 3,000 people, leaving 330 households without shelter. Human Rights Commission of Pakistan’s GB coordinator, Israruddin Israr, said this was the second-largest internal displacement in the region since the 2010 Attabad disaster.
Meanwhile, survivors in flood-hit areas face severe shortages of drinking water and irrigation supplies. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned that extreme weather could persist into early September, raising the risk of further flooding, landslides, and crop losses.
Pakistan has been struggling with recurring monsoon devastation. In 2022, unprecedented floods killed over 1,700 people, displaced millions, and inflicted an estimated USD 40 billion in economic damage. Experts warn that poor drainage, unplanned urbanization, and climate change are intensifying the scale of disasters.