Heavy rains displace half a million in Punjab, Pakistan

Saturday 30 August 2025 - 10:45

By: Sahili Aya

Heavy rains displace half a million in Punjab, Pakistan

Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous and wealthiest province, faces severe flooding as heavy monsoon rains continue to batter the region. Authorities have already evacuated nearly half a million residents living along swollen rivers, where 30 deaths have been reported so far. In total, over 1.5 million people are at risk of flooding or are already affected.

Officials have moved approximately 480,000 people and around 400,000 livestock from 2,300 villages, often using rescue boats. Earlier in August, over 400 people died in the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa due to mudslides triggered by torrential rainfall.

The Punjab Disaster Management Authority, led by Maryam Sharif, niece of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, described the response as “the largest rescue operation in our history.” More than 800 boats and 1,300 rescue workers have been deployed. Over 500 temporary shelters have been opened, many in closed schools.

Three rivers in Punjab have overflowed due to heavy rains across Pakistan and neighboring India, contributing to rising water levels. In Lahore, home to 14 million people, some high-end neighborhoods were already submerged due to inadequate drainage systems. Residents have been forced to evacuate quickly, often leaving behind personal belongings.

Flooding has caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure, and crops, echoing the catastrophic rains of 2022 that affected a third of the country and killed 1,700 people