Chenab and Ravi flood levels ease in Punjab as more rain is forecast

As monsoon showers continued to hit parts of the country, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on Sunday reported seven more casualties in Punjab and three in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, taking the countrywide death toll since June 26 to above 100. According to an NDMA daily situation report covering 24 hours up till 1pm, Punjab’s Gujrat and Okara districts recorded two deaths each, while one casualty each was reported from Sargodha, Narowal and Sialkot. In KP, Hangu registered two deaths and Shangla one. The NDMA specified that the causes behind the casualties were house collapses, electrocutions and drowning. Moreover, at least 47 people were injured in various districts across Punjab, while three individuals were hurt in KP’s Hangu in the 24-hour period. The country has recorded 107 deaths in total during the monsoon rains since June 26, the NDMA data showed. KP recorded the highest number of casualties with 55 deaths, followed by 36 in Punjab, seven in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), six in Balochistan, two in Sindh and one in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB). Screengrab from NDMA report issued on July 26, 2026. Fresh wet spell likely to commence from July 29 Separately, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) forecast that a fresh wet spell was likely to commence from July 29 in the upper catchments of all major rivers, as well as Islamabad, upper Punjab, AJK, KP and GB. However, “no flood-generating” rainfall activity was expected till July 28 (Tuesday). Meanwhile, for up to Monday noon, the PMD predicted “scattered” rain-wind/thunderstorms over the upper catchment of all major rivers, along with Islamabad, AJK and GB. Here is the province-wise forecast by the Met Office for the 24 hours till around Monday noon: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Abbottabad, Batagram, Buner, Chitral, Haripur, Kohat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Mardan, Nowshera, Shangla, Swabi, Swat, Tor Ghar and Dir. Punjab Attock, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Chakwal, Chiniot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Jhang, Jhelum, Kasur, Khanewal, Khushab, Lahore, Lodhran, Mandi Bahauddin, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Nankana Sahib, Narowal, Okara, Pakpattan, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh and Vehari. Sindh Badin, Hyderabad, Matiari, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tharparkar and Umerkot. For Karachi, the Met Office, in a separate advisory, forecast cloudy and humid weather with light rain/drizzle and chances of thunderstorms/rain at the outskirts of the city on Sunday. On Monday and Tuesday, the weather in the metropolis will continue to remain cloudy with chances of isolated drizzle. Balochistan Barkhan, Duki, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kohlu, Loralai and Musakhel. Major rivers at normal to low flood levels As of 6pm, PMD’s Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) said most major rivers were flowing at either normal or low flood level. However, River Ravi recorded a medium-level flood with increasing water flows at Sidhnai headworks. The levels at Jassar and Shahdara were normal, while Balloki was in low flood. River Indus was recorded at normal at three barrages and in low flood at four other points. Jhelum and Sutlej were at normal levels. Water flows in River Chenab had also subsided, reaching a low-level flood at Marala, Khanki, Qadirabad, and Trimmu barrages. In its update at 11:30am, the PMD had said that River Indus at Kalabagh, Chashma, Taunsa and Guddu were expected to remain in low flood levels for the next 48 hours. However, the Met Office placed rivers Chenab and Ravi on a high-risk level on its flood severity scale. In a statement on Sunday morning, Punjab’s Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said that while the rivers in the province continued to flood due to rain, the flow in the waterways had remained stable in the previous 24 hours. PDMA added that there was a medium flood situation in Narowal’s Basantar Nullah while a high-level flood persisted in Wazirabad’s Phalko Nullah, with a flow of 5,000 cusecs. The PDMA statement also carried its director general’s appeal to citizens residing in the floodplains to immediately evacuate to safer places, adding that the provincial government had made all necessary arrangements for affected areas. “All basic facilities and medicines will be provided in the flood relief camps,” the PDMA DG was quoted as saying. In a separate statement, the authority said that 115mm of rain was recorded in Noorpur Thal, 107mm in Gujranwala, 94mm in Gujrat, 68mm in Narowal, 65mm in Mandi Bahauddin, 52mm in Sialkot Airport, 46mm in Okara, 40mm in Jauharabad and 38mm in Sargodha during the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, Lahore received 37mm of rainfall, Mangla 37mm, Jhelum 32mm, Sheikhupura 28mm, Hafizabad and Kasur 27mm, Chakwal 20mm, Bahawalnagar 18mm and Khanewal 16mm, the spokesperson said. “A total of 450 mm of rain was recorded in Lahore over a period of 5 days,” the statement said, adding that Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Attock, Murree and Bahawalpur also received rainfall. PDMA also cautioned of the risk of flooding in rivers and canals in low-lying areas due to rain, as well as landslides in mountainous areas such as Murree. Heavy rain may also damage mud-brick houses, it added.

Chenab continued to witness flooding on Sunday, but with flow eased from medium to low, as the Met Office forecast a fresh rainfall spell from July 29 in the upper catchments of all major rivers, as well as Islamabad, upper Punjab and northern parts of the country. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Punjab said in a statement issued on Sunday morning that while the rivers in the province continued to flood due to rain, the flow in the waterways had remained stable in the past 24 hours. It added that there was low-level flooding in the Indus River at Kalabagh, Chashma, and Taunsa waterworks, with water flow being recorded at 334,000 cusecs at Kalabagh, 370,000 cusecs at Chashma and 313,000 cusecs at Taunsa around 6am. In the Chenab River, the flooding situation was subsiding, reaching a low-level flood at Marala, Khanki, Qadirabad, and Trimmu barrages, the authority added. At Marala, the water flow was 143,000 cusecs, 138,000 cusecs at Khanki, 135,000 cusecs at Qadirabad, and 184,000 cusecs at Trimmu as of 6am, the PDMA said. A low-level flood also persisted in the Ravi River at the Balloki and Sidhnai headworks, with 81,000 cusecs at Balloki and 60,000 cusecs at Sidhnai, it said, adding that the water flow at Shahdara in the Ravi River remained normal. Water flow in Sutlej and Jhelum rivers was also at normal levels, it said. PDMA added that there was a medium flood situation in Narowal’s Basantar Nullah while a high-level flood persisted in Wazirabad’s Phalko Nullah, with a flow of 5,000 cusecs. The PDMA statement also carried the authority director general’s appeal to citizens residing in the floodplains to immediately evacuate to safer places, adding that the provincial government had made all necessary arrangements for affected areas. “All basic facilities and medicines will be provided in the flood relief camps,” the DG was quoted as saying. In a separate statement, the PDMA said that 115mm of rain was recorded in Noorpur Thal, 107mm in Gujranwala, 94mm in Gujrat, 68mm in Narowal, 65mm in Mandi Bahauddin, 52mm in Sialkot Airport, 46mm in Okara, 40mm in Jauharabad and 38mm in Sargodha during the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, Lahore received 37mm of rainfall, Mangla 37mm, Jhelum 32mm, Sheikhupura 28mm, Hafizabad and Kasur 27 mm, Chakwal 20mm, Bahawalnagar 18mm and Khanewal 16 mm, the spokesperson said. “A total of 450 mm of rain was recorded in Lahore over a period of 5 days,” the statement said, adding that Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Attock, Murree and Bahawalpur also received rainfall. According to the statement, PMDA’s control room and district emergency operation centres remain on high alert. It also raised caution regarding the risk of flooding in rivers and canals in low-lying areas due to rain, as well as landslides in mountainous areas such as Murree. Heavy rain may also damage mud-brick houses, it added. The authority advised citizens to contact the PDMA helpline — 1129 — in case of an emergency. On Saturday, at least seven people, including two children, were killed and 20 others injured in rain-related incidents across Punjab. According to PDMA, monsoon-related incidents had so far claimed 22 lives and left 183 people injured across Punjab. Meanwhile, a vast area of Punjab, covering nearly 400 square kilometres, has come under water following ongoing torrential rains. Rain forecast The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast a fresh rainfall spell from July 29 in the upper catchments of all major rivers, Islamabad, upper Punjab, Kashmir, KP, and GB. “No flood-generating rainfall activity is expected till July 28,” it said in an update on X. In its daily weather outlook, the PMD also forecast scattered rain-wind/thunderstorm over the upper catchment of all major rivers, Islamabad, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan over the next 24 hours. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, it forecast rain in Abbottabad, Batagram, Buner, Chitral, Haripur, Kohat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Mardan, Nowshera, Shangla, Swabi, Swat, Tor Ghar and Dir. In Punjab, rainfall is expected in Attock, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Chakwal, Chiniot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Jhang, Jhelum, Kasur, Khanewal, Khushab, Lahore, Lodhran, Mandi Bahauddin, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Nankana Sahib, Narowal, Okara, Pakpattan, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh and Vehari during the forecast period, according to PMD. In Sindh, PMD forecast rain in Badin, Hyderabad, Matiari, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tharparkar and Umer Kot. In Balochistan, Barkhan, Duki, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kohlu, Loralai and Musakhel are expected to receive rain. PMD added that the Indus River at Kalabagh, Chasma, Taunsa, and Guddu will remain in low-level flood for the next 48 hours. For Karachi, the Met Office, in a separate advisory, forecast cloudy and humid weather with light rain/drizzle and chances of thunderstorms/rain at the outskirts of the city on Sunday. On Monday and Tuesday, the weather in the metropolis will continue to remain cloudy with chances of isolated drizzle.

Chenab continued to witness flooding on Sunday, but with flow eased from medium to low, as the Met Office forecast a fresh rainfall spell from July 29 in the upper catchments of all major rivers, as well as Islamabad, upper Punjab and northern parts of the country. The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) in Punjab said in a statement issued on Sunday morning that while the rivers in the province continued to flood due to rain, the flow in the waterways had remained stable in the past 24 hours. It added that there was low-level flooding in the Indus River at Kalabagh, Chashma, and Taunsa waterworks, with water flow being recorded at 334,000 cusecs at Kalabagh, 370,000 cusecs at Chashma and 313,000 cusecs at Taunsa around 6am. In the Chenab River, the flooding situation was subsiding, reaching a low-level flood at Marala, Khanki, Qadirabad, and Trimmu barrages, the authority added. At Marala, the water flow was 143,000 cusecs, 138,000 cusecs at Khanki, 135,000 cusecs at Qadirabad, and 184,000 cusecs at Trimmu as of 6am, the PDMA said. A low-level flood also persisted in the Ravi River at the Balloki and Sidhnai headworks, with 81,000 cusecs at Balloki and 60,000 cusecs at Sidhnai, it said, adding that the water flow at Shahdara in the Ravi River remained normal. Water flow in Sutlej and Jhelum rivers was also at normal levels, it said. PDMA added that there was a medium flood situation in Narowal’s Basantar Nullah while a high-level flood persisted in Wazirabad’s Phalko Nullah, with a flow of 5,000 cusecs. The PDMA statement also carried the authority director general’s appeal to citizens residing in the floodplains to immediately evacuate to safer places, adding that the provincial government had made all necessary arrangements for affected areas. “All basic facilities and medicines will be provided in the flood relief camps,” the DG was quoted as saying. In a separate statement, the PDMA said that 115mm of rain was recorded in Noorpur Thal, 107mm in Gujranwala, 94mm in Gujrat, 68mm in Narowal, 65mm in Mandi Bahauddin, 52mm in Sialkot Airport, 46mm in Okara, 40mm in Jauharabad and 38mm in Sargodha during the last 24 hours. Meanwhile, Lahore received 37mm of rainfall, Mangla 37mm, Jhelum 32mm, Sheikhupura 28mm, Hafizabad and Kasur 27 mm, Chakwal 20mm, Bahawalnagar 18mm and Khanewal 16 mm, the spokesperson said. “A total of 450 mm of rain was recorded in Lahore over a period of 5 days,” the statement said, adding that Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, Multan, Attock, Murree and Bahawalpur also received rainfall. According to the statement, PMDA’s control room and district emergency operation centres remain on high alert. It also raised caution regarding the risk of flooding in rivers and canals in low-lying areas due to rain, as well as landslides in mountainous areas such as Murree. Heavy rain may also damage mud-brick houses, it added. The authority advised citizens to contact the PDMA helpline — 1129 — in case of an emergency. On Saturday, at least seven people, including two children, were killed and 20 others injured in rain-related incidents across Punjab. According to PDMA, monsoon-related incidents had so far claimed 22 lives and left 183 people injured across Punjab. Meanwhile, a vast area of Punjab, covering nearly 400 square kilometres, has come under water following ongoing torrential rains. Rain forecast The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast a fresh rainfall spell from July 29 in the upper catchments of all major rivers, Islamabad, upper Punjab, Kashmir, KP, and GB. “No flood-generating rainfall activity is expected till July 28,” it said in an update on X. In its daily weather outlook, the PMD also forecast scattered rain-wind/thunderstorm over the upper catchment of all major rivers, Islamabad, Kashmir, and Gilgit-Baltistan over the next 24 hours. In Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, it forecast rain in Abbottabad, Batagram, Buner, Chitral, Haripur, Kohat, Kohistan, Mansehra, Mardan, Nowshera, Shangla, Swabi, Swat, Tor Ghar and Dir. In Punjab, rainfall is expected in Attock, Bahawalnagar, Bahawalpur, Chakwal, Chiniot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Hafizabad, Jhang, Jhelum, Kasur, Khanewal, Khushab, Lahore, Lodhran, Mandi Bahauddin, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Nankana Sahib, Narowal, Okara, Pakpattan, Rawalpindi, Sahiwal, Sargodha, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Toba Tek Singh and Vehari during the forecast period, according to PMD. In Sindh, PMD forecast rain in Badin, Hyderabad, Matiari, Mirpur Khas, Sanghar, Tando Allahyar, Tando Muhammad Khan, Tharparkar and Umer Kot. In Balochistan, Barkhan, Duki, Kalat, Khuzdar, Kohlu, Loralai and Musakhel are expected to receive rain. PMD added that Indus River at Kalabagh, Chasma, Taunsa, and Guddu will remain in low-level flood for the next 48 hours.

LAHORE: While a vast area of Punjab, covering nearly 400 square kilometres, has come under water following ongoing torrential rains and the overflow of several drains carrying water far beyond their designed capacity, the Chenab and Ravi rivers are expected to reach medium to high flood levels over the next 24 hours. The warning at a time when the flooding has already caused widespread damage to standing crops, livestock and infrastructure prompted district administrations in several areas to expedite flood-response measures, including the establishment of relief camps. “The situation is very alarming this time, as a vast area of around 400sq-kms has come under water in Sheikhupura, Muridke, Gujranwala, Narowal, Sambrial and Pasrur, which fall within the Lahore and Gujranwala divisions,” a senior official of the Punjab irrigation department told Dawn on Saturday. “The current situation resembles an inland sea because of the vast expanse of floodwater,” the official added, requesting anonymity. Floodwaters swamp large swathes of Punjab The situation is both unprecedented and highly challenging during the ongoing monsoon season, according to the official. “Let me tell you that the flow in the Ravi at Shahdara (Lahore) is 22,000 cusecs, whereas at Balloki (downstream) it has surged to 87,000 cusecs. The question is: where did the additional 65,000 cusecs come from? It is water flowing into the river through drains and rainfall,” he explained. “Ordinarily, the flow in the Ravi should decrease by the time it reaches Balloki. Instead, it has increased,” the official said, adding that it could take another three to four days for the situation to return to normal, provided there is no further rainfall. According to the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) of the Pakistan Meteorological Department, the Chenab and Ravi rivers are currently flowing at medium and low flood levels, respectively. However, water levels in both rivers are expected to rise to medium to high flood levels over the next 24 hours. The Chenab at Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad is expected to remain at medium to high flood levels, while the Ravi is also likely to reach similar levels at Balloki (Kasur) and Sidhnai (Khanewal). “River Chenab at Khanki, Qadirabad and Chiniot Bridge is at the medium flood level. River Indus at Kalabagh, Chashma and Taunsa, River Kabul at Nowshera, River Chenab at Marala and Trimmu, and River Ravi at Balloki and Sidhnai are at the low flood level. All major rivers at other gauging stations are flowing within their normal ranges,” the FFD report states. As more showers are expected on Sunday, the deputy commissioners of Lahore, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Sialkot, Narowal, Khanewal and others have been put on high-alert in terms of flood monitoring and preparedness arrangements. The Lahore DC and his team rushed to the affected areas in the catchment area of Hudiara drain. They visited Tiba Khudpur Road and the Hadyara Drain in Mohlanwal to review drainage operations and monitor the flow of rainwater following heavy monsoon showers across the city. The Lahore commissioner also visited Nankana Sahib to review the flood situation and emergency response arrangements. He visited Halla Waraich and inspected the river erosion occurring beyond the village. During the visit, he was briefed about evacuation, rescue, and relief arrangements and measures. He directed the district administration to desilt the choking points of Nullah Dek. Khanewal DC Hena Arshad visited Sidhnai headworks, the Mai Safura Bund Breaching Section, Kund Sargana and Fazil Shah Bund to inspect flood protection arrangements and review preparedness measures. Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2026