A high flood warning has been issued for the River Ravi at Shahdara in Lahore, with a peak flow expected between 10 PM and midnight on Wednesday. This alert, based on data shared by the Indian High Commission, comes as Punjab faces an “exceptionally high” risk of flooding due to a combination of heavy monsoon rains and the release of excess water from upstream Indian dams. The National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC) reports that the Ravi is carrying a dangerously high volume of water, threatening to inundate low-lying areas including Shahdara, Park View, and Motorway-2.
The flood threat is not confined to the Ravi. The NEOC has also reported an extremely high flood in the Sutlej River and unusually high discharges in the Chenab River. The abrupt rise in water levels over the past 24 hours has posed serious challenges, prompting authorities to initiate precautionary evacuations. Thousands of people have already been relocated from flood-prone areas in Punjab, with rescue teams working in districts like Shakargarh, Narowal, and Gujranwala to save dozens trapped by rising waters that have submerged roads, schools, and entire villages.
The situation has mobilized national disaster response mechanisms. In line with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s directives, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) is overseeing all rescue and relief operations. The NEOC control room is fully functional on a 24/7 basis, maintaining close coordination with civil and military agencies to manage the evolving crisis. Residents living along riverbanks have been urgently advised to move to safer locations immediately.
Beyond Punjab, the flooding has also impacted Sindh, where villages and crops in Dadu have been damaged by Indus River floodwaters. At the same time, major water reservoirs are reaching capacity; the Tarbela Dam is full, and Mangla Dam is nearly three-fourths full. With the crisis ongoing, rescue and relief teams remain on high standby, preparing for further developments as the floodwaters move downstream.
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