Authorities from Pakistan’s southern Sindh province have initiated the evacuation of over 100,000 citizens due to an impending threat of flooding along the Indus River, according to a government spokesperson. The alarm was raised after neighboring India raised concerns over potential cross-border flooding as a result of water release from their dams.
Rescue operations have been ongoing in the eastern Punjab province due to weeks of monsoon rains and overflow from dams in India. These weather conditions have led to the displacement of nearly 1.8 million people since August.
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Since the onset of the monsoon season in late June, flooding has claimed the lives of more than 900 individuals across Pakistan. The National Disaster Management Authority and local authorities have confirmed the warning from India regarding the possible cross-border flooding, which was communicated through diplomatic channels.
The monsoon rains, heavier than usual, coupled with the water releases from India’s dams, have caused rivers in Punjab to overflow, reaching dangerous levels. These floods are now proceeding downstream towards Sindh, with potential impact on the level of the Indus River, officials have noted.
As it currently stands, several thousand rescuers, bolstered by military assistance, are providing aid to those displaced in Muzaffargarh and Multan districts in Punjab. An estimated 3,900 villages have been inundated due to the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers breaching their banks over the past two weeks.
Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon has stated that evacuations are underway in vulnerable districts, with over 109,320 individuals moved to safer locations in anticipation of rising water levels in the Indus. He reminded the public of the devastating 2022 floods, which hit Sindh severely, causing the death of 1,739 people across the country.