Sialkot, August 28: The city of Sialkot has been battered by an unprecedented 512 millimeters of rain within just 48 hours, triggering severe urban flooding and leaving residents struggling to cope with the disaster.
Deputy Commissioner Saba Asghar confirmed on Thursday that three major drains in the city had overflowed, inundating large parts of urban areas. “This is the first time Sialkot has faced flooding of this magnitude,” she said, adding that rescue boats had to be deployed in several neighborhoods to evacuate stranded residents. Relief efforts are underway, with nine camps established across the district, although many people have been reluctant to leave their homes.
According to officials, some families who initially sought shelter in relief camps later moved out to stay with relatives. Despite the chaos, DC Saba Asghar noted that the water level in the Chenab River has begun to recede, reducing the immediate threat of further devastation. Just a day earlier, the district administration had declared an emergency, shutting down schools and colleges across Sialkot.
The situation is part of a larger crisis unfolding across Punjab, where at least 25 people have lost their lives due to torrential rains and massive water inflows from India. Floodwaters have engulfed villages, towns, and cities in several districts, marking what officials describe as the worst flooding in the province’s recent history.
In Gujranwala division alone, 15 fatalities were reported, including five members of the same family in Sambrial. Four deaths were confirmed in Gujrat, three in Narowal, two in Hafizabad, and one in Gujranwala. Authorities warn that high levels of flooding persist in the Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers, continuing to threaten low-lying areas despite signs of water levels easing in some locations.
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