ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s disaster management chief in Punjab warned on Thursday that the next 24 hours would be “extremely critical” as floods surged down the Chenab River, threatening the southern city of Multan and dozens of nearby villages after weeks of heavy monsoon rains and dam releases from India.
Punjab, home to half of Pakistan’s 240 million people, is the country’s most populous and agriculturally vital province, often described as its breadbasket. Officials say 46 people have been killed, nearly 3.9 million people affected, 1.8 million displaced, and thousands of villages inundated as the Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers have overflowed since late last month.
Nationwide, more than 883 people have died in floods, rains and landslides since the monsoon season began in late June, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. The disaster has revived memories of the 2022 deluges, when a third of the country was submerged, 30 million people were displaced and losses exceeded $35 billion.
“This is a critical time for the city and district of Multan,” Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Director General Irfan Ali Kathia told reporters at a press conference.
“The main surge of the Chenab has already reached Head Muhammad Wala at its peak and is now moving downstream.”
