DERA GHAZI KHAN / BAHAWALPUR / OKARA: Districts administrations have started evacuating flood affectees from the inundated villages along the Sutlej and Indus rivers experiencing low to medium level floods.

In Dera Ghazi Khan division, relief operations are underway in the riverine belt of Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur districts and evacuations have been started from flood affected and low-lying areas.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Usman Khalid visited the low-lying areas of Taunsa on Wednesday to review the flood situation. Rescue 1122 and other departments briefed him on the ongoing efforts.

During his visit, the DC was briefed at flood posts in Bet Ashraf, Banbhan and adjoining areas about the rescue, relief, and flood-control activities and he also met the locals.

He was informed that relief camps had been set up in government schools, where cooked meals were being provided to displaced families. He was informed that while some low-lying areas had been submerged, most houses remained safe as residents had built them on elevated ground.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) had said that most rivers and hill torrents were maintaining normal to low flood levels, while Chashma and Taunsa on the Indus were facing medium flood conditions.

In Bahawalpur, evacuation of civil population from the Dera Baakha and other rural areas of city had been ordered. The decision was taken during a meeting of the disaster management authority chaired by DC Dr Farhan Farooq.

The decision was taken in view of the alert issued by the PDMA and the increasing water levels in Sutlej following reports of India releasing water in the river. The water was expected to pass through Pakistan Railways’ Empress Bridge near Bahawalpur city within a few days.

The meeting was informed that rural areas were at risk of flooding. The meeting was told that breaches at two private dykes had submerged vast agriculture land and damaged standing crops.

Assistant commissioners were directed to remain alert and take measures to shift civilian population of at-risk areas to safer places and flood relief camps.

District Emergency Officer (DEO) Baqir Hussain told the meeting that eight advance flood posts had been made functional in four tehsils of the district.

Meanwhile, Vehari was also experiencing a medium level flood in Sutlej. DC Imrana Tauqeer said that residents of five bastis were affected and they were being shifted to eight relief camps. She said that about 500 acres of agri land had been affected by the floodwater.

In Lodhran, DC Dr Lubna Nazir told media that relief camps had been established at three tehsils of the district. She said that flood affectees of riverian areas were being shifted to safer areas. Rescue operations were also being carried out in the Okara district where 330 people, including minors and elderly, were evacuated from six affected localities.

DC Ahmad Usman Javaid briefed the meeting about the arrangements. DEO Zafar Iqbal said that 45 Rescuers with 10 boats were conducting rescue and relief operation at 12 camps along the Sutlej.

Commissioner Dr Asif Tufail visited the camps and reviewed the arrangements and facilities at Attari and Head Sulemanki.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2025