Floodwaters Recede Across Sindh and Punjab, Relief Operations Continue

Flood levels across Sindh’s barrage system are gradually declining, while Punjab is reporting mostly stable river flows, according to updates from provincial authorities on Tuesday. Relief and rescue operations remain ongoing in both provinces.

At Guddu and Sukkur barrages, inflows of 611,051 and 571,800 cusecs were recorded, exceeding outflows by 27,900 and 53,680 cusecs, though both sites showed a clear drop compared to previous days. Similar downward trends have been noted at Kotri and Panjnad.

Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported normal flows in the Indus, Chenab, and Ravi rivers, with medium flooding only in the Sutlej and Panjnad. At Ganda Singhwala, the Sutlej carried 101,000 cusecs, while Head Islam reported 81,000 cusecs and Sulemanki registered 90,000 cusecs at low flood levels.

The Indus River remained within safe limits, with flows of 196,000 cusecs at Tarbela, 169,000 at Kalabagh, 178,000 at Chashma, and 161,000 at Taunsa. On the Chenab, flows ranged from 56,000 cusecs at Marala to 80,000 at Head Trimmu, except for a medium flood surge of 234,000 cusecs at Panjnad.

Relief in Sindh

Sindh’s Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said the provincial government continues to provide food, clean water, healthcare, and support for livestock in affected areas. In the past 24 hours, 3,522 people were evacuated, raising the total number of relocations to 173,027, with 469 still in relief camps.

Livestock rescue operations are also underway, with 3,192 cattle moved on Monday, bringing the total to 450,571. Veterinary teams vaccinated nearly 40,000 animals in a day, with more than 1.3 million inoculated overall. Meanwhile, 183 medical camps remain active, treating over 92,000 patients so far.

National Flood Response

At the federal level, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal chaired a meeting of the prime minister’s committee to assess the destruction caused by the monsoon floods, which have killed nearly 980 people and injured over 1,100 since June 16. He said Punjab is beginning to recover as waters recede, while Sindh continues to face severe challenges.

Iqbal announced that a preliminary damage report will be ready within 10 days, cautioning against speculation until verified figures are released. He noted that 2.5 million people have been displaced, with millions of homes damaged in Punjab alone.

International aid is also arriving: the United States has sent six aid consignments, Britain pledged £3 million, and Singapore contributed $50,000 in relief. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has called for broader diplomatic outreach and suggested using the Benazir Income Support Programme to provide direct cash assistance.

Officials stressed that climate change is driving the severity of floods, pointing to erratic monsoons and accelerated glacier melt. Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik said a 300-day plan is being prepared to tackle future risks.

Concerns about deliberate water releases from India were dismissed, with experts clarifying that inflows from Indian reservoirs were unintentional, though they added to the strain on Pakistan’s river system.