NAROWAL: Floodwater entered homes, other buildings and submerged hundreds of acres of agricultural land in Sambrial after a high-level flood in rainwater drain Aik was breached early on Sunday.

The flood entered Pakistan from Indian occupied Kashmir and broke the protective dam near Bhopalwala village in Sambrial tehsil. As a result, hundreds of acres of agricultural land in Kotli Marlan, Malkhanwala, Dhalm Balkan and Bhopalwala and other villages were submerged.

The floodwater also entered homes, animal shelters, a government school building and a graveyard. Roads connecting the villages were also submerged by the flood water. The Aik drain reportedly overflowed at two places, Bhopalwala and Chak Chohdu.

Sambrial Assistant Commissioner Adnan Bashir told Dawn that a flood of 5,700 cusecs entered the Aik drain on Sunday at 7am after India suddenly released water in the drain.

He said the capacity of Aik drain in Sialkot was 5,000 cusecs and its capacity in Sambrial was 1,900 cusecs. He said the overflow occurred due to the floodwater exceeding the drain’s capacity.

The AC said that a 10-foot crack had appeared in the Aik drain near Bhopalwala village and the water-level had gradually risen to 4,700 cusecs. He said that teams of the Irrigation department were present at the spot and as soon as the floodwater passes, the dam would be immediately repaired.

Sialkot Deputy Commissioner Owais Mushtaq said that the district administration was focused on the flood-affected areas and were on high alert.

Local resident Ansar Mahmood said that citizens were facing difficulties due to the sudden flood. They claimed that no official from the district administration had reached the area.

He said that every year crops were destroyed due to the flooding, while homes and livestock of the citizens were damaged.

The citizens demanded that the Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz take immediate and strict notice of the situation.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2026