LAHORE: The passing flood water is leaving marks of devastation in its trail and is posing danger to the areas lying further down stream, while according to official reports, river[s] Chenab and Ravi have again started rising at Jassar and Marla, holding out renewed threats to the already devastated areas. According to All India Radio reports, Chenab was discharging eight lakh cusecs of water at Akhnoor at 2:30 p.m. today [July 19]. If the reports are correct, flood water will do colossal damage to the Sialkot district.

Grand Trunk road has been closed to all kinds of traffic between Lahore and Gujranwala while flood water has also started flowing under the small bridges laid for rail track. However, railway traffic is still continuing on the main line. Massive relief work … being supervised by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Sadiq Husain Qureshi himself, went into action as the threat of the flood moved down the river to Balloki. The Army Jawans worked throughout the night to rescue thousands of people trapped in their houses. A fresh marginal increase in the Ravi upstream at Jassar … added urgency to the relief work going on in the vast area extending up to the industrial estate at Kala Shah Kaku.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2025