SAHIWAL: At least 94 public sector educational institutions located in the flood-affected river Ravi belt have been closed for an additional seven days despite the end of the summer vacation.

Of the closed institutions, 46 are located in Sahiwal tehsil and 48 others in Chichawatni tehsil. Sahiwal District Education Authority Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Tanvir Ghazali says that education of approximately 22,000 to 23,000 students, studying from primary to higher secondary levels, has been disrupted due to the flood.

Sources say that that initially 74 schools were shut down because of the flood. However, they say, as floodwaters entered more villages overnight, the department ordered closure of an additional 20 schools.

Deputy Commissioner Shahid Mahmood issued two separate notifications to formalise the closure of these schools.

Mr Ghazali stated that all boys and girls high schools in the affected areas have been converted into temporary relief camps, where displaced families are residing in the classrooms.

The district administration is providing food, fodder for livestock and essential medicines to the displaced families.

Meanwhile, the highways department Executive Engineer Muhammad Ramzan says several key roads connecting Sahiwal to Toba Tek Singh and Faisalabad have been rendered impassable due to the floodwaters. These roads include the old Harappa–Chichawatni road, Harappa–Kamaliya road, Mamoun Kanjan Bridge and the Chichawatni–Kamalia road, he adds.

Locals say that the floodwaters caused an extensive damage to the road infrastructure in the affected areas. Mr Ramzan confirmed that a bridge on the Kamaliya–Chichawatni road has completely collapsed, and floodwater was now flowing over its remains.

The Ravi Toll Plaza bridge has also been closed for the vehicular traffic because of the damage caused by the floodwaters.

Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2025