Pakistan evacuates 100,000 people over flooding threat

Published: Friday, September 5, 2025 at 2:27 pm

Pakistan Braces for Further Flooding, Evacuating Thousands

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan is facing a worsening flood crisis, prompting mass evacuations and a large-scale rescue operation. Authorities in the southern Sindh province have evacuated over 100,000 people from low-lying areas along the Indus river, a government spokesman confirmed on Friday. This action follows a warning from India regarding potential cross-border flooding due to dam releases.

The evacuations are occurring concurrently with a major rescue and relief effort in the eastern Punjab province. Weeks of heavy monsoon rains and overflowing dams in India have displaced approximately 1.8 million people in Punjab since August.

The situation is dire. Since late June, monsoon flooding has claimed the lives of more than 900 people across Pakistan, according to disaster officials. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and local authorities confirmed that India notified Pakistan through diplomatic channels about the potential for cross-border flooding.

The combination of unusually heavy monsoon rains and water releases from Indian dams has caused rivers in Punjab to swell to dangerous levels. These floodwaters are now moving downstream towards Sindh, where they threaten to further swell the Indus river.

Thousands of rescuers, supported by the military, are currently providing aid to displaced individuals in the Muzaffargarh and Multan districts of Punjab. Flooding has inundated 3,900 villages in these districts since the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers overflowed their banks two weeks ago.

Sindh Information Minister Sharjeel Memon stated that evacuations are ongoing in vulnerable districts, with 109,320 people already relocated to safer areas as the Indus river's water levels rise. Sindh was among the hardest-hit regions during the devastating 2022 floods, which resulted in 1,739 fatalities nationwide.

BNN's Perspective: The ongoing flooding in Pakistan underscores the devastating impact of climate change and the critical need for regional cooperation in disaster management. While the current situation presents significant challenges, the coordinated efforts of authorities and the international community are essential to mitigate the impact and provide aid to those affected.

Keywords: Pakistan floods, Indus river, Sindh province, Punjab province, monsoon rains, dam releases, cross-border flooding, evacuations, disaster relief, NDMA, India, flood deaths, climate change

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