LAHORE: At least 33 people — including women and children — have been rescued after their boat capsized in the swollen River Sutlej at Head Sulemanki in Okara district on Thursday night.

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab, one child was killed while six people are still missing. There were 40 people on board the ill-fated boat.

According to PDMA, eight of the passengers on the boat belonged to Okara, while 32 hailed from Bahawalnagar.

A PDMA spokesperson said 33 people were saved by the administration while the operation to find the others continued through the night. He said army, Rescue 1122 and civil administration teams were involved in the search.

PDMA says over 30 rescued as search continues

Locals and personnel of the district administration have begun efforts to rescue the missing people, while all those rescued are said to be out of danger, i.e. they do not have any life threatening injuries, PDMA said.

The authority also warned against unnecessary travel in areas around the swollen rivers, adding that Section 144 should be imposed in the areas to prevent further loss of life.

Late on Thursday night, Caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi also issued directives to expedite the rescue operation.

Emphasising utmost importance of prompt action, the chief minister instructed the authorities concerned to utilise all available resources in the rescue work.

He also urged the administration to swiftly reach the scene of the accident and oversee the relief activities, with focus on rescuing the missing.

River Sutlej is witnessing low-level flood with 72,627 cusecs at Sulemanki headworks.

Published in Dawn, August 4th, 2023