Floods that struck Punjab in 2025 are now being described as the most devastating deluge in the province’s history
Over 290 people lost their lives, 6.5 million people were impacted while 162,542 houses were damaged across 27 districts during floods in Punjab. PHOTO: AFP
LAHORE:
For the first time in nearly three to four decades, Punjab’s rivers swelled to unprecedented levels, breaching protective embankments and inflicting severe damage on human life, agriculture, and the province’s economic infrastructure.
The catastrophic floods hit in the third week of August 2025, when monsoon rains broke all previous records. Continuous torrential rainfall caused dangerous surges in the Ravi, Sutlej, Chenab, and Jhelum rivers. The Meteorological Department stated that the monsoon season arrived earlier than usual this year, resulting in river flooding of an intensity not seen since 1988 and 1992. Water levels rose several times above normal, overwhelming natural flow systems and flood-control structures.
Official figures showed that more than 27 districts of Punjab were severely affected, including Lahore, Multan, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhang, Chiniot, Hafizabad, Sialkot, and Gujrat. As a result of the flooding, over 290 people lost their lives, 6.5 million people were affected, while 4,700 villages suffered damage. In low-lying areas, floodwaters damaged homes, destroyed underpasses and washed away roads, further disrupting daily life and transport.
Residents of Lahore’s Theme Park area reported that their homes were swept away by floodwaters and that they were still awaiting government assistance. For instance, Syed Muhammad Farooq, a resident of the area, revealed that the floods hit in August, destroying house floors and furniture. “No relief has been provided by the Punjab government till date,” said Farooq, who demanded immediate compensation from the government.
Similarly, residents of Kasur shared that they rebuilt their homes themselves since government assistance was still pending. “After flood surveys were conducted, financial assistance of Rs150,000 was announced. I received a card and letter in November, but when I went for biometric verification, I was told that no funds had been credited to the card. Despite filing an online complaint with the Chief Minister’s office and repeated calls to PDMA, the issue remains unresolved,” revealed Raja Sohail Bakhsh, an affectee.
According to data obtained from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), field surveys collected data from 594,000 families. The floods affected 1.46 million acres of agricultural land, including rice crops at 44 per cent, maize at 24 per cent, cotton at nine per cent and sesame at seven per cent. A total of 162,542 houses were damaged, of which 69 per cent were mud houses, and 31 per cent were brick structures.
Additionally, 5,458 livestock were affected, including cows and buffaloes at 64 per cent, sheep and goats at 18 per cent, calves at 16 per cent, and horses or donkeys at two per cent.
The floods once again raised serious questions regarding uncertainty in the flow of rivers originating from India. Experts opined that the neighbour holding water in upstream dams and releasing it suddenly placed immense pressure on Pakistan’s rivers, intensifying flooding in downstream areas. This issue has also become a significant diplomatic concern under the framework of the Indus Waters Treaty. According to government estimates, the total financial loss in Punjab due to the floods stands at Rs600 billion, affecting all major sectors of the provincial economy.
PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia stated that the Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers experienced the worst floods in Punjab’s history, hitting 4,754 localities and 4.774 million people. “Over 2.7 million people and 2.117 million livestock were relocated during the province’s largest-ever rescue operation, supported by emergency funds exceeding Rs4 billion. Relief efforts included hundreds of camps, large-scale distribution of tents, food and medical support, and financial assistance to 285,000 families,” said Kathia.
