Floods in Ravi River Cause Land Erosion, Villages in Narowal at Risk
NAROWAL: Rising water levels in the Ravi River and the Baen rainwater drain have begun causing serious land erosion, putting dozens of villages in Shakargarh tehsil at risk of being submerged.
Erosion Threatens Embankments
The protective embankments near village Jarmian Singha are weakening as erosion accelerates. Similar damage is reported in Salian and Chak Nahra, where fast-flowing water from Nullah Baen has created multiple erosion points.
According to the irrigation department, water flows are dangerously high:
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61,000 cusecs in the Ravi at Kot Naina
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82,140 cusecs at Jassar
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4,900 cusecs in the Basantar drain
Locals fear the embankments may not hold if erosion continues.
Villagers Struggle to Contain Floods
Residents are attempting to strengthen the Baen dyke on their own using tree trunks, soil, and sandbags. Muhammad Arsalan, a resident of Chak Nahra, said locals are suffering heavy losses and have repeatedly informed the Narowal district administration about the worsening situation.
Meanwhile, thousands of acres of farmland in Bheko Chak village are already underwater, with roads such as Narowal–Shakargarh road submerged, disrupting traffic.
Heavy Agricultural Losses
Farmers are among the worst hit. In Shakargarh, vegetables, rice, and fodder grown on 100 acres of farmland were destroyed by flash floods.
Muhammad Akmal Khan, a farmer from Jarmian Post, lost his entire crop of bitter gourd, brinjal, mash, rice, and fodder across 100 acres near the Pakistan-India border. His farmland is now covered in sand carried by the Ravi floodwaters, while water pumps and animal shelters were also washed away.
“It looks like a sea of sand where my crops once stood,” Akmal said.
Power Supply Disrupted
Floods have also damaged power infrastructure. A 132kV transmission tower on the Pasrur–Zafarwal line collapsed due to the Dek rainwater drain flooding.
According to Gepco spokesman Rana Muhammad Jahangir, Chief Executive Engineer Muhammad Ayub inspected the site. Power has been restored to 15 out of 16 feeders of the Zafarwal grid station through alternative sources, while emergency repair work is underway to restore the remaining supply.
Growing Concerns
With land erosion increasing and agricultural destruction mounting, residents and experts are calling for immediate intervention from the authorities to reinforce embankments and protect vulnerable communities before the situation worsens further.
