LAHORE:
The fifth spell of monsoon rains of the ongoing season is set to begin across Punjab and continue through July 31, prompting alerts and emergency preparations across the province, officials said.
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), heavy rainfall is expected in various districts of northern, central, and South Punjab, including Rawalpindi, Murree, Galliyat, Attock, Chakwal, Mandi Bahauddin, Jhelum, Gujrat, Gujranwala, Hafizabad, Lahore, Faisalabad, Narowal, Sialkot, Jhang, Toba Tek Singh, Sargodha, Mianwali, Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bahawalpur and Bahawalnagar.
The PDMA has warned of potential urban flooding in low-lying areas due to drainage overload. “The monsoon system may cause flooding in Punjab’s rivers and streams,” said PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia. He added that water levels in the Ravi, Chenab, Sutlej, and Jhelum rivers could rise significantly during this period.
The Indus River is already experiencing a medium-level flood at Taunsa Barrage, where water flow has reached 410,000 cusecs. Low-level floods are also being reported at Tarbela, Kalabagh, and Chashma.
The Punjab chief minister has ordered all district administrations to remain on high alert. Deputy commissioners have been directed to stay in the field and enforce Section 144 to restrict risky public movement around rivers and drains. Police have been instructed to increase patrolling near water bodies.
Municipal bodies, WASA, and Rescue 1122 have been placed on standby, with orders to ensure immediate drainage from low-lying areas, deploy staff and equipment at chokepoints, and keep pumping stations and generators operational.
Private housing societies have been warned to eliminate water ponding or face legal action. The chief minister emphasised that these societies are solely responsible for managing their own drainage.
The PDMA also released a monsoon fact sheet, detailing rainfall statistics, river and reservoir water levels, and overall flood risk. The statement confirmed that light rain was recorded in Sialkot over the past 24 hours, and predicted more rain in most districts in the coming days.
No casualties were reported from the latest rainfall, but the monsoon season has already claimed 152 lives in Punjab this year.
