CHINIOT: Over 30,000 people have been evacuated as 842,000 cusecs exceptionally high flood in the Chenab hit hundreds of settlements, submerging houses, schools and public offices besides damaging crops over thousands of acres. Last time Chenab overflowed near Chiniot was in 2014.

The administration and army are rescuing people who did not evacuate voluntarily until floodwater surrounded them from all sides. Hundreds of such persons were rescued by Rescue 1122 on Friday.

The connecting roads leading to the affected villages were also submerged in floodwater, blocking the road link between them and other parts of the district.

Last night, the authorities feared that the protective dyke around Chiniot city would either break despite the fortification or the river would overflow from there. Announcements were made in low-lying areas of the city, including Mohallah Aali, Maskeenpura, Pammi Road and Mohallah Noorwala, to evacuate. However, the dyke survived.

Breaches in canal and Sem Nullah submerge villages; dyke near village Kalri breaks

Two breaches in Jhang Branch Canal and Chiniot Sem Nullah were also filled by the departments concerned after efforts of 24 hours. However, until then, these breaches had inundated crops on hundreds of acres of land in adjoining areas.

The villages worst hit by flood included Shahabal, Mandi Heer, Charaghwala, Tonri, Jhallar Nathu Shah, Maro Qila, Maro Bhattian, Jasrat, Bokharian, Lodia, Bhutto Colony, Darutta Kharlan, Addah Kup, Sambhal, Nawan Thatta, Thatta Abhoola, Balhar Ka, Trattay Ki Jhallar, Thatta Hersa, Thatta Nehra, Mauza Saee Hussain Ka and Mauza Meeru.

According to Zafar Iqbal Wattoo, chief executive officer of the District Education Authority Chiniot, 74 schools were damaged in the flood-hit areas. However, estimates of the loss of buildings and infrastructure would be made after water recedes.

After getting the warning from the district administration, the school staff had already shifted the precious record of the schools from the buildings to safer places before time, he added.

The administration had deployed explosives on dykes at two points, Kot Muhammad Yar and Hersa Sheikh village, and remained vigilant for 48 hours to breach the dyke in case the floodwater went out of control or caused any damage to bridges or Chiniot city. But fortunately, there was no need to breach the dyke as 842,000 cusecs of water passed through river Chiniot Bridge without any big damage to the city or the infrastructure.

Although the district administration established 12 relief camps, however, most of the 33,000 displaced persons opted to live with their relatives in safer villages and settlements along with their cattle.

The protective dyke along Chenab at village Kalri that villagers had made on a self-help basis was also affected and water started seeping in.

Lalian Assistant Commissioner Anas Saeed rushed to the area along with heavy machinery last evening and tried to fortify the dyke with more earth filling and stones but the hours-long efforts could not bear fruit as water level continued to rise along the dyke. Finally, the administration directed the Kalri villagers to evacuate and move to safer places. The village was soon submerged as the river broke the embankment. The flood also inundated major highways of Chiniot, leading to Sargodha and Jhang. The administration banned heavy transport on Chiniot-Sargodha Road while traffic was going on the Jhang Road when this report was filed.

Punjab minister Khwaja Salman Rafiq and Khwaja Imran Nazir also visited flood affected areas and supervised flood relief operations. They met the flood affectees and asked if they needed any assistance.

Chiniot Deputy Commissioner Safiullah Gondal said the district administration was supervising evacuations and facilitating the flood affectees with boarding and lodging at flood relief camps. He said no causality was reported.

Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2025