KASUR: The Sutlej, after wreaking havoc in over 100 villages of the district for more than a month, has calmed down and started returning to its normal position.

The water discharge at the Ganda Singh Headworks was recorded at 95,000 cusecs on Thursday evening after its peak of 385,000 cusecs some two weeks back. The Sutlej is still in a medium level flood, but the water is restricted to the riverbed.

The Sutlej started receding to its normal position at a surprising speed in the last three days. The water discharge at Ganda Singh Headworks was 327,030 cusecs on Monday, 230,738 cusecs on Tuesday, and it reduced to 182,000 on Wednesday.

The exceptionally high flood affected 168 mauzas at Sahjra, Rajowal, Kanganpur and Baloki sectors, devastating thousands of acres of farmland and damaging hundreds of houses. The flood also destroyed infrastructure including roads and the electricity network.

According to Rescue sources, roads along the Sutlej leading to over a dozen villages that were submerged in water for about five weeks, were now clear. As the Sutlej calmed down, scores of families who were rendered homeless were ready to move back to their villages. However, some stopped as the PDMA issued an alert of more water arriving in the river that could once again raise the water levels.

District administration and rescue forces had been providing transportation facilities to the affected people who wanted to go back to their homes. After the flood in Kasur receded, Rescue officials, boats and other equipment were being moved to Multan to help the flood victims there.

Published in Dawn, September 12th, 2025