MULTAN — At least 22 villages in the Multan district are partially submerged after the Chenab River breached its banks early Tuesday morning. Thousands of residents are currently evacuating, packing what belongings they can carry as rising water levels threaten to cut off access to the local highway.
The flooding follows days of heavy monsoon rains in the upper catchment areas, forcing authorities to discharge surplus water into the river. Low-lying settlements along the riverbed bore the brunt of the surge, with crops and livestock suffering immediate damage.
“The water rose while we were sleeping,” said Muhammad Javed, a resident of a village near the Shujabad tehsil. “We didn’t get enough warning to save the wheat stocks, and now the road is gone.”
District administration officials confirmed they have deployed rescue boats and established three emergency camps in the vicinity. However, local activists on the ground suggest the response is lagging. They point to delayed alerts from the irrigation department, which left farmers with little time to move their cattle to higher ground.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported that the inflow at the Head Muhammadwala gauge remains critical. While officials insist they are monitoring the situation hourly, the threat to downstream infrastructure is growing.
The economic fallout for the region is already clear. These villages are primarily agricultural, and the loss of standing crops represents a significant blow to the local economy. For many families, this is the second time in three years their land has been inundated by seasonal flooding.
As night falls, the focus remains on search and rescue operations. With the met office forecasting more rain over the next 48 hours, the river levels aren’t expected to recede anytime soon.
