Saturday, March 29, 2025
Pakistan Floods Displace 2 Million, Kill 854; 2,200 Villages Submerged
Lahore, September 1, 2025 – Devastating floods have swept across Pakistan, forcing nearly two million people to flee their homes and killing at least 854 since late June. Heavy monsoon rains, coupled with rising water levels in the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers flowing in from India, have submerged more than 2,200 villages in Punjab and Sindh provinces.
Authorities confirmed that more than 750,000 people have already been relocated to safer areas, but vast numbers remain stranded. Rural communities as well as urban centers, including Lahore, are underwater. While official figures list 854 deaths from nationwide flooding and landslides since June, at least 33 people have died in the most recent wave of floods and hundreds more are injured. Livestock losses and destruction of property have compounded the crisis.
The floodwaters are now advancing toward Sindh province, prompting the administration to issue a “super flood” alert. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah visited Guddu and Sukkur barrages on Sunday to review preparedness. He warned that if water discharge rises to 900,000 cusecs or more, nearly 15 districts could face catastrophic destruction, potentially impacting up to 1.6 million people.
Rescue and relief operations are underway, involving the army, police, and disaster management agencies. Camps have been set up across affected areas, where families displaced from the Ravi riverbanks have sought shelter in temporary tents. Authorities have also increased monitoring of vulnerable dams and embankments and established police checkpoints to prevent crime in flood-hit zones.
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has warned that the coming days are critical. Officials expressed concern that the situation could worsen if India releases additional water into the Sutlej and other rivers without prior notice. Islamabad has accused New Delhi of not sharing timely information, further complicating Pakistan’s response to the disaster.
With large swathes of farmland destroyed and hundreds of thousands left homeless, the humanitarian crisis is expected to intensify. Relief agencies are urging immediate international assistance to address food shortages, shelter needs, and the risk of disease outbreaks in relief camps.
