Sutlej Floods Leave Thousands Homeless in Southern Punjab

Lahore: More than 12 days after devastating floods along the Sutlej River, residents of Multan, Lodhran, and Bahawalpur districts remain homeless as floodwaters have not receded due to unsealed breaches in the Noraja Bhutta embankment.

Communities Still Underwater

Entire communities in Noraja Bhutta, Bahadurpur, Basti Lang, Kanu, and Dipal (Jalalpur Pirwala); Tarut Basharat, Daily Rajanpur, and Belaywala (Lodhran); and Dunyapur, Jhangra, and Muradpur Soiwala (Bahawalpur) are still surrounded by floodwater. Many families are living along embankments after their houses were submerged.

Locals fear conditions may worsen. Muhammad Bakhsh, a resident of Basti Lang, said water levels were rising again and could increase further if another medium-level flood forecast for Jalalpur Pirwala materializes.

Ijaz Khan of Tarut Basharat added that while authorities were reinforcing the M-5 Motorway bridge with heavy stones, water around villages was not receding.

Government’s Response

Chief Engineer of the Multan Irrigation Department, Nawaz Bajwa, confirmed that three breaches in the Noraja Bhutta embankment had been plugged to protect Jalalpur Pirwala city and a major gas pipeline.

Punjab Irrigation Minister Kazim Pirzada stated that nearly 70% of Alipur’s population and 90% of Jalalpur Pirwala’s residents were impacted by the floods. He stressed the need for large-scale relief efforts, saying teams were working continuously to deliver food, clean water, and other essentials to Sultanpur, Shahbazpur, Seetpur, and nearby towns.

Current Water Levels

According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), water levels in most rivers have returned to normal, though the Sutlej still faces low to medium flood conditions.

• Sutlej River: 95,000 cusecs at Ganda Singh Wala, 81,000 cusecs at Suleimanki

• Chenab River: 55,000 cusecs at Marala, dropping to 24,000 at Khanki and 29,000 at Qadirabad

• Trimmu Headworks: 35,000 cusecs

• Panjnad Headworks: 118,000 cusecs

• Ravi River: 6,000 cusecs at Jassar, 9,000 at Shahdara, 30,000 at Sidhnai, and 28,000 at Balloki

Relief Still Urgently Needed

Despite government efforts, thousands of residents remain displaced and dependent on temporary shelter and relief supplies. Locals are urging authorities to accelerate drainage operations and ensure proper plugging of embankment breaches to prevent further flooding.