LAHORE: The Lahorites seem to have developed a sort of Stockholm syndrome with the Ravi: the river in flood is threatening their lives, properties and investments, but it has become a spectacle they don’t want to miss. On and around four bridges, and fortified embankments close to them, that fall within the city area, it presents a picture of a picnic spot with hundreds of city dwellers bee lining either side, watching. Though it has not threatened the city as it did during the last comparable situation in 1988, it has already invaded many areas falling on its bed and banks.

As the river swelled beyond 217,660 cusecs by 6pm, more areas could come under water. The areas falling beyond Band Road braced for floodwater as mosques announced warnings and TV channels broadcast live water invasions. The peak surge, released from Jassar on Tuesday night, is currently crossing Lahore – from Siphon to Shahdara – and is putting extreme pressure on defenses of the city.

Good news on Thursday, however, was that the river has started receding at Jassar (in India) and, by evening, it was flowing at 99,470 cusecs against 250,000 cusecs two days ago. So, the pressure on the city should slowly reduce in the next 24 hours once the current surge of around 217,660 cusecs crosses over. This scenario would hold only if torrential rains in catchments do not cause a new wave or India does not release additional water from its reservoirs.

Though the Punjab government, as a part of its flood control measures, has slapped Section 144 on and around the river, the visitors hardly respect it.

With the river level receding, people insist on seeing river in its actual form; locals ignore evacuation directives

“Along with other duties, the police are also struggling to disperse people, who consider a full flowing river too seductive to be left alone,” says Hanzala Iqbal, a visitor to the Shahdara bridge. “I have only heard stories from my ancestors how the river swelled every monsoon for millennia and renewed vast swathes of soil. For the first time in my life, I have seen the river in full bloom. I may not see it again in my lifetime. How I can miss this lifetime opportunity,” he insists.

On its part, the Lahore administration had issued different kinds of warnings in its five towns – City, Ravi, Wagah, Allama Iqbal Town and Raiwind – falling in vulnerable areas in the last 48 hours. But they only drew mixed responses. Only those dwellers, whose residences came under varying levels of water, partially evacuated their homes.

“All those areas which fell within the range of Ravi were asked to vacate,” claims a policeman, who is involved in the rescue activities in the Shahdara area. Most of them have not left because they have nowhere to go.

“Most of them ask for vehicular help to move their households and family members, which is not available. They do not leave even when told that safe spots have been developed and they can return once water recedes. But they do not want to compromise the safety of their homes. It has been only a few feet of water in most of these areas, which is not life-threatening, at least in their perception. This is also one of the reasons why no loss of life has been reported so far. But if the situation worsens, floodwater could quickly get out of hand,” he warns.

Those living within the bed of the river cite an even longer list of reasons for not leaving the areas. Ali Iqbal, one such resident narrates his reasons: “Where should we go? We have our tilled land here, our own home. The entire (extended) family is here. We have seen water rising and falling many times in the last four decades and have our own ideas about river behaviour and threat level. It has not crossed that level yet. So, we are here: waiting and watching!”

Luckily, so far, the river has only submerged areas that fell on its natural way, along its bed spread.

“There are around 80 villages that fall on its banks and all of them had been sounded official warning and told to either leave or take protective measures – depending on their location and water flow,” says an official of the agriculture department. However, crops in those villages – mainly rice and maize – are gone, especially in Narowal and Shakargarh areas. With millions of acres under water for days, even weeks, these crops would not survive.

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2025