LAHORE: A man died while six others sustained injuries in flood-related incidents in Punjab as all the major rivers in the province were swollen due to continuous monsoon rains.

All major rivers of Punjab continued to rise as heavy rains kept lashing different parts of the province as well as the country.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) report, medium level flood was reported at Guddu and Sukkur and low at Taunsa in the Indus while all other rivers including Chenab, Ravi, Jhelum and Sutlej were reportedly flowing normally.

Low-flood situation was observed at Taunsa in the Indus, at Sidhnai in the Ravi and at Sulemanki and Islam in the Sutlej.

One dies, six others injured in flood-related incidents in Punjab

The Bahawalpur district administration had imposed Section 144 on 21 points until Aug 7 in view of deluge in the Sutlej.

According to the notification issued by the district administration, there will be a complete ban on swimming and crossing the river on boats. Similarly, strolling and assemblage of people on the banks of the river will also not be allowed. The people had been warned of the consequences in case they fail to comply with the instructions.

The Sutlej has left a trail of destruction at Ferozepur Chistian, a suburban village of Pakpattan, as it has inundated homes and crops and farmers were raising voice against the government to provide them help.

The Sutlej floodwater entered the fields at Arifwala and washed away homes and roads after a protective embankment collapsed.

The Sutlej has burst its banks at Minchinabad following which water has entered into 44 villages and flooded agricultural land spreading over hundreds of acres. At most of the places, walls of mud houses have collapsed adding to the miseries of the people.

The affected farmers have said that water has taken away all their belongings so much that now they are without shelters and have nothing to eat.

They have appealed to the government to waive off their taxes.

They have also requested the government to draw up a comprehensive plan for their rehabilitation.

They demanded that the government give them subsidies on fertilisers, seed and pesticides.

The Ravi is in low flood at Mill Fatyana in Kamalia as 56,000 cusec water is passing through the river.

Already floodwater has inflicted the loss of millions of rupees on the farmers after it flooded crops sown over dozens of acres of land.

Farmers have complained that although floods wreaked havoc every year, the government never came to their rescue.

Dozens of villages have been inundated while crops grown over hundreds of acres of land destroyed after River Chenab burst its banks at Rangpur. Crops over hundreds of acres were submerged by water and a large number of people had to leave their homes in Tehsil Alipur (Muzaffargarh).

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) claimed to have rescued 454 people in flood-tossed areas of the province. The authority set up 222 relief camps in different districts of the province.

The authority transported 4,075 people in Okara, 7,039 in Kasur, 100 in Vehari, 2,124 in Muzaffargarh, 48 in Khanewal and 454 in Nankana to safe places.

The authority claimed to have distributed 855 ration bags among the flood-affected people.

One man lost his life while six others were injured due to roof collapse in Okara and Sialkot.

The authority states three villages were destroyed in Bahawalpur, 77 in Okara, 40 in Jhang, five in Muzaffargarh, 33 in Khanewal, eight in Nankana, and 65 in Layyah.

Around 220 acres of land were destroyed in Bahawalpur, 20,275 acres in Okara, 19,061 acres in Vehari, 9,000 acres in Khanewal, 816 acres in Nankana and 5,762 acres in Layyah.

MUZAFFARGARH: Water from river Chenab broke Mauza Behrahampur Zamindara dyke and flooded settlements and three schools.

The water discharge in the river was rising, stated to be 110,000 cusecs, It submerged everything in the villages Basti Talab, Basti Sonakii, Basti Stationwala, Basti Jamwala and Basti Lalpur.

Meanwhile, land erosion along the river has intensified in Beit Azmatpur and Kundrala, in the suburbs of Alipur.

Reports said five villages of Rangpur had been flooded.

When Muzaffargarh AC Nasir Shehzad Dogar reached Rangpur, displaced villagers told him no food, relief camps and fodder for their livestock was available.

TOBA TEK SINGH: Overflowing water from river Ravi submerged crops over hundreds of acres in villages falling in Kamalia and Pirmahal tehsils.

Reports said a 50-foot portion of Kamalia-Harrapa road was swept away by flood water near Chak Murad, Kay Kathia. As a result, traffic from Kamalia to Sahiwal had been suspended.

Hundreds of villagers and their animals were shifted to safer places by Rescue 1122 boats.

Deputy commissioner Muhammad Naveed visited flood-affected villages and inspected relief and rescue operation.

(Tehseen Raza from Muzaffargarh and Tariq Saeed from Toba Tek Singh also contributed to this report)

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2023