Two million impacted as Pakistan’s Punjab faces worst floods in its history
Pakistan’s Punjab faces its worst-ever flood, with two million people affected as rivers Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi overflow. Heavy monsoon rains, climate change, and cross-border water release worsened the crisis, prompting mass evacuations and rescue operations across submerged regions.
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Sep 1, 2025
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Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province is experiencing the most severe floods in its history, with more than two million people affected as water levels in the Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi rivers reach record highs.
Provincial minister Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed on Sunday that this is the first time all three rivers have simultaneously carried such massive volumes of water. She described the disaster as unprecedented, saying it has overwhelmed local infrastructure and displaced communities across the region.
The flooding is the result of multiple converging factors. Unusually heavy monsoon rains, intensified by global warming, have battered the country in recent months. Sudden cloudbursts and landslides have already devastated northern and northwestern Pakistan. In Punjab, the crisis worsened when India released water from swollen rivers and dams, sending a surge across the border into Pakistan’s already vulnerable floodplains.
On the ground, the human cost is visible everywhere. Farmlands have disappeared under water, homes have been abandoned, and families are being rescued on makeshift boats. Pakistani television has shown villagers clambering onto rafts with their children, salvaging what little they can from submerged houses.
Authorities are racing to provide relief. Schools, police stations, and other public facilities have been converted into emergency shelters. Rescue teams are evacuating stranded residents, though officials admit the magnitude of the disaster is stretching resources thin.
This catastrophe reflects a growing climate challenge for Pakistan. A recent study identified the country as one of the most vulnerable in the world to climate change. Melting glaciers, deforestation, and changing monsoon patterns have made floods increasingly frequent and destructive. Experts warn that unless significant resilience measures are put in place, disasters of this scale may become more common in the years to come.
For now, the priority remains saving lives and providing relief to millions who have lost their homes, livelihoods, and security to the floodwaters.
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