Authorities in Punjab have decided to execute a controlled breach at the Sher Shah embankment in Multan to divert the rising waters of the Chenab River. This decision comes as southern districts continue to be severely impacted by devastating floods that have displaced hundreds of thousands of people.
According to the irrigation department, a flow of over 540,000 cusecs from Trimmu is expected to reach Multan’s limits in the coming days, with water levels at Sher Shah already recorded at 400,000 cusecs. Officials confirmed that nearby settlements have been alerted and evacuation announcements are underway. An irrigation official explained, “The riverbed areas are already inundated, and the breach is being carried out due to a lack of further capacity to contain the water.”
City Police Officer Sadiq Ali Dogar announced that rail and road traffic would be suspended following the breach. He warned, “Rail traffic on the Multan–Kundian–Rawalpindi route will be halted, while Muzaffargarh Road will also be closed. Residents in low-lying settlements must evacuate immediately to avoid a situation similar to Jalalpur Pirwala.”
PDMA Issues Alarm for Multan
Irfan Ali Kathia, Director General of Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), stated that Multan has been under flood pressure for the last 48 hours. “The next two days will not be easy,” he said, noting that emergency teams, including 50 additional boats and five drones, have been deployed for rescue operations.
The National Emergency Operations Centre of the NDMA has issued rain alerts for Punjab, Sindh, and Balochistan for the next 12–24 hours, warning of urban flooding in low-lying areas, river overflows, and landslides in hilly regions. Heavy rainfall is forecasted for Multan, Layyah, Khanewal, Vehari, Bahawalpur, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, and Rahim Yar Khan. Sindh districts, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Thatta, Badin, Tharparkar, and Umerkot, have also been placed on alert. In Balochistan, rain with thunderstorms is expected in Zhob, Loralai, Khuzdar, Dera Bugti, and Lasbela.
Tragic Incidents in Rahim Yar Khan and Jalalpur Pirwala
In Rahim Yar Khan’s Moza Noor Wala, a boat carrying flood victims capsized late Monday, resulting in the death of five people, according to district officials. Pakistan Army divers have recovered the bodies of two women and one man, while the search for two others continues. More than 20 people were reportedly on board. Separately, four individuals drowned in Jalalpur Pirwala’s Chak 86-M. Locals recovered two bodies on their own and complained that no rescue boat had reached the site.
Mass Evacuations and Relief Operations
Rescue 1122 reported that 2,343 people have been evacuated from Multan in the last 24 hours, bringing the total number of rescued individuals to 10,810. The district administration states that 350,000 people and over 300,000 animals have been relocated as a precautionary measure.
Floodwaters have already submerged 100 villages in Jalalpur Pirwala, where breaches in local embankments have inundated houses. The pressure on Multan’s urban dam remains critical, with authorities working around the clock to reinforce it. In Jhang, tent settlements for flood victims have been washed away due to continuous rains, while in Muzaffargarh, the high flood levels in the Chenab have submerged hundreds of villages.
Dams at Full Capacity
Meanwhile, Tarbela Dam has reached its 100% storage capacity at 1,550 feet, while Mangla Dam stands at 90% capacity (1,232.95 feet). Other dams, including Khanpur, Rawal, and Simli, are also nearing full levels, raising concerns of additional flooding if heavy rains persist. The inflows and outflows of Punjab’s major waterways recorded on Tuesday were 609,669 cusecs at Panjnad and 543,000 cusecs at Trimmu, highlighting the immense pressure on the river systems.
