September 19, 2025
Web desk
Lahore: Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has confirmed that the monsoon season has ended and all rivers across the province have returned to normal levels. DG PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia told reporters on Friday that there are no flood peaks in the Chenab from Marala to Panjnad, while water levels in Jassar and Sadhnai have dropped. However, he noted that the Sutlej River is still carrying a heavier flow, though conditions are improving.
According to Kathia, floods during the season affected 28 districts and nearly 4,800 villages, displacing over 407,000 people. Relief operations evacuated around 612,000 people and more than 2 million animals to safety, while 331 relief camps are still providing shelter to over 100,000 residents. He added that 425 medical camps have been set up across affected areas to provide essential health services.
The disaster also caused heavy damage to Punjab’s infrastructure and agriculture. A 22-kilometer stretch of the M-5 Motorway remains closed due to flooding, with another 10–12 kilometers still under ponding, while the Jalalpur–Lodhran road is also blocked. In terms of crop losses, maize was the worst hit, while rice suffered a 15% loss, sugarcane 13%, and cotton around 5% damage.
Overall, the PDMA reported 123 deaths due to floods in Punjab, along with the destruction of approximately 2.58 million acres of farmland. Gujrat and Faisalabad were identified as the worst-affected districts in terms of crop destruction. Authorities also recorded 824 missing livestock, with surveys underway to confirm the scale of losses. Kathia stressed that while immediate flood risks have ended, rehabilitation and damage assessments will continue in the coming weeks.
