Two million impacted as Pakistan’s Punjab faces worst floods in its history

Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province is grappling with the worst flood in its recorded history, according to provincial authorities, as rivers swell to unprecedented levels and heavy monsoon rains devastate communities.

A new study links the crisis to global warming, which has intensified monsoon patterns across South Asia. Pakistan, already one of the most vulnerable nations to climate change, has endured months of torrential downpours, flash floods, and landslides, particularly in the mountainous north and northwest.

Rivers Overflow, Millions Impacted

Residents in Punjab have faced both record rainfall and cross-border flooding after India released excess water from overflowing dams and rivers, pushing massive volumes into low-lying areas of Pakistan.

“This is the biggest flood in the history of Punjab. Around two million people have been affected. For the first time ever, the three rivers — Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi — are carrying such extreme levels of water,” provincial senior minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said during a press briefing on Sunday.

Authorities have been racing to evacuate flood-hit communities, converting schools, police stations, and other government buildings into emergency relief camps.

Television footage showed desperate families climbing aboard rescue boats, sailing through what used to be farmland now completely submerged under water. Others could be seen salvaging possessions from destroyed homes before abandoning them to the floodwaters.

Life in Relief Camps

In a school turned shelter, pregnant women and families have taken refuge amid the humanitarian crisis.

One of them, 19-year-old Shumaila Riaz, who is seven months pregnant, has been living in the camp for four days while struggling with cramps.

“I wanted to dream about the child I am about to have. But now, I am not even sure about my own future,” she told AFP.

The overcrowded camp, now home to over 2,000 displaced people, is surrounded by stagnant water and mud. Women and children, wearing the same clothes for days, huddle together in cramped classrooms with little access to hygiene or basic facilities.

Authorities on High Alert

Officials in Multan have prepared explosives at five embankments in case water levels rise further, a measure aimed at diverting surging flows away from the city.

“We cannot fight this water, and we cannot stop it,” warned Deputy Commissioner Wasim Hamad Sindhu, urging residents in vulnerable areas to move immediately into government-run shelters.

Multan Commissioner Amir Kareem Khan added that drones were being used to monitor low-lying regions and locate those still refusing to evacuate.

Tensions Over Water Releas

Minister Aurangzeb also revealed that the Foreign Ministry is gathering information about what she called India’s “deliberate release of water” into Pakistan.

India had warned Pakistan last week about possible cross-border flooding — marking the first public diplomatic exchange between the two countries since tensions nearly erupted into war in May. However, New Delhi has not officially responded to Pakistan’s latest claims.

Agricultural Heartland Under Threat

Home to nearly 150 million people, Punjab is considered the breadbasket of Pakistan, producing most of the country’s wheat and other key crops.

But repeated floods are threatening this role. Just last year, the catastrophic 2022 monsoon floods destroyed vast stretches of farmland in Pakistan’s east and south, prompting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to caution that the nation could face severe food shortages.

With climate change making South Asia’s monsoon increasingly erratic and destructive, experts warn that Punjab’s current crisis may only be a grim preview of challenges still to come.