At least two military personnel embraced martyrdom, while two others were injured during relief activities amidst the ongoing floods, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said on Wednesday.
Addressing a joint press conference with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar and National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) chief Lt. Gen. Inam Haider Malik, he said flood response units had already been mobilized in Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan.
He said around 28,000 people had been rescued during the ongoing operations.
The NDMA chairman said nearly 210,000 people had been safely evacuated from flood-affected regions, with no casualties reported. He also warned that indicators suggested next year’s rains would be 22% more intense.
Lt Gen Malik said new rainfall was forecast between Aug. 29 and Sept. 9, adding that authorities in Punjab, KP, AJK and GB had been alerted to take precautionary measures. He said downstream water flows are being monitored at Panjnad, Kotri and Guddu. Panjnad is expected to see a surge of 600,000 to 700,000 cusecs in the coming days, he warned.
The military spokesman said the armed forces have established 29 medical camps in Punjab, KP, GB and AJK, providing treatment to over 20,700 people and distributing 225 tons of rations. He said Army aviation had conducted 26 sorties, while three major bridges had been repaired, and 104 roads cleared in coordination with civil authorities.
P.M. Sharif
Meanwhile, on Thursday morning, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas of Punjab to assess the situation and oversee relief operations. Ahead of his trip, he was briefed on the overall situation by the NDMA chairman.
During the survey, the NDMA chief updated the prime minister on rising water levels in Punjab’s rivers, as well as ongoing rescue and relief operations in submerged areas. The prime minister, per a statement, directed relevant authorities to ensure all necessary measures for the protection of lives and property and to intensify relief operations where needed.
Lahore flood
During a visit to the Ravi, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz assured Punjabis their losses will be compensated by the Punjab government. “I have never seen the level of Ravi as high as this despite living in Lahore my entire life,” she said. She also backed the construction of new reservoirs to store water for future floods, emphasizing the need to utilize such waters for crops.
Lahore Commissioner Asif Bilal Lodhi also visited the Ravi River on Thursday to assess the flood situation. He was informed that 1,208 families living in low-lying areas near the river have already been safely relocated to secure locations. “Around 150,000 cusecs of water is flowing through the Ravi,” said Lodhi, warning that water levels could rise to 170,000 cusecs later today.
Punjab situation
Large parts of Punjab remains submerged due to the flooding in the Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab rivers. The situation has forced hundreds of thousands from their homes, causing significant damage to infrastructure and devastating millions of acres of agricultural land.
According to Gujranwala’s commissioner, 15 people have lost their lives in the floods, including five in Sialkot, four in Gujrat, three in Narowal, two in Hafizabad and one in Gujranwala. The Punjab government has estimated that over 600,000 people have been affected.