Muhammad Boota’s village, Jhan Man Singh in Shakargarh, Narowal, is located near the River Ravi and is one of the most severely flood-affected villages in Punjab. The electricity supply has been suspended here for the past three days. More than half of the village’s population has already migrated. Women and children have moved to safer locations, and livestock are also being taken to safety. However, a large number of people are still trapped, surrounded by floodwaters from all sides. Muhammad Boota, one of the residents, is among those who could not relocate to safety. He said: “I didn’t get the chance to leave with my family. Some of us remained in the village because of our livestock. If we had left them behind, they would have starved, and of course, it’s not possible to carry all our household belongings with us.” Boota added: “Most people from our village have gone to the nearby Ikhlas Pur village, which is about seven to eight kilometers away and at a higher elevation, where the floods in Punjab cannot cause much damage.” According to him: “Right now, we are facing shortages of food, clean water, and fodder for animals. Some of our livestock and crops have already been damaged.” When asked about relief, he replied: “We don’t know anything about a flood relief camp, nor has anyone contacted us.”
Shahid Ali, a resident of Sheikh Da Tube Well village in Bhuchoke Par, district Nankana Sahib, also lives near the Ravi River. He explained that some villagers are still there while others have moved towards the city after floodwater entered the area two days ago. He said, “We could never imagine that our river neighbor would become so furious. The houses here are on higher ground, but everywhere around us there is water. Our crops and livestock are being badly affected. My rice crop has completely drowned.” According to him, people fear that a massive wave of water from India may enter their village, causing even greater destruction, and there is growing concern in the entire area. Authorities are relocating those who live closest to the river to safer places, but villagers say roads are blocked, making it impossible for many to leave. In Kot Momin, district Sargodha, the village of Syed Kahna lies directly on the bank of the Chenab River. When contacted, local resident Shams-ul-Hasan was busy moving his animals to safer ground. He recalled that their village was last hit by a flood disaster 10 to 12 years ago. The village, situated within a protective embankment near the river, is at severe risk. Shams said, “At the moment, the river water has not overflowed much into the fields, but according to reports, a huge wave is expected tonight that could submerge our village. That is why we are leaving.” He added that families have already sent women and children to safer places while the men are busy shifting livestock. For them, this is an emotionally painful moment. “Leaving our homes and lands temporarily is not easy. Wherever we go, we also trouble those who host us.” He explained that most villagers are moving to stay with relatives or friends. His own family is migrating towards Sukheki in the Hafizabad area. He warned that the coming flood in Punjab could be one of the worst, similar to the disaster they experienced a decade ago that caused massive destruction in their village and nearby areas. Meanwhile, in Wazirabad, villagers from Tahlianwala, located on the belt of the Chenab, are reluctant to leave their homes. They said they have always lived in a constant struggle with the river. Wazirabad and surrounding areas are already in the grip of severe flooding, as the overflowing Chenab River and nearby streams have paralyzed urban life and devastated dozens of villages. Rural areas such as Loheri Wala, Tahlianwala, Nogran, Daulatabad, Haripur, Rana Bahram, Thatthi Baloch, and Faqiranwali are completely submerged. Dilshad Ahmed Tarar, a local landowner from Tahlianwala, explained: “We are right on the bank of the Chenab. Along this river belt, there are thirteen villages. We are all in danger, but how can we leave our homes? Our village is on slightly higher ground, and water has not yet entered our houses, but it has surrounded us from all sides. Most of the outer fields and dwellings have been affected, and those who stayed behind with their livestock are now trapped.”
“It was a night of doom that we spent awake. Several times, snakes three to four feet long slithered past us. We thought death was near and that perhaps this was how it was written in our fate to die,” says Sakina Bibi, a resident of Rana Behram village near the Chenab River in Wazirabad, Punjab. Her family was rescued by Rescue 1122 workers on Wednesday morning between 6 and 7 a.m. and shifted to a relief camp. After the release of water from Indian dams, Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), through the National Emergencies Operation Center, issued an emergency alert regarding three rivers in Punjab: Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej. The center stated that all three rivers are currently experiencing unprecedented flooding conditions. Due to the worsening flood situation, the Punjab Home Department had written to the Federal Ministry of Interior requesting the deployment of the army in six districts of Punjab. It is worth noting that in recent months, more than 800 people have died across Pakistan due to monsoon rains and floods. Sakina Bibi explained that her husband has been unwell for some time. She has three sons and four daughters, along with two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren—making a family of 14 members. On the night between Tuesday and Wednesday, the entire family became trapped in their house. She recalled that nearby families had already evacuated their homes by evening, but they were unaware of the gravity of the situation. “At around 10 or 11 p.m., the Chenab’s water entered our house. We panicked and woke up in fear, while the children began crying and screaming at the sudden disaster.” “We all rushed to the roof. Since our house is made of mud, we feared the roof would not withstand the strong current and might collapse.” According to Sakina Bibi, they had no other choice. “The water was flowing dangerously close to us, and we sat helpless, like statues of despair.” She said her son’s mobile phone, which had been left in the courtyard, was swept away with the water. “During this time, we saw many snakes pass nearby. Allah saved our lives, but we were terrified that if the roof or the walls collapsed, there would be no chance of survival.” Sakina Bibi recounted that just before sunrise, they spotted two boats. “The men on the boats had torches in their hands and were scanning the area with binoculars.” “My sons took off their shirts and started waving them. We all shouted for help. By the grace of Allah, they saw us before it was too late.” She added that those men were from Rescue 1122, who evacuated them and took them to a relief camp near Wazirabad city.
Ghulam Rasool, a resident of Khan Muslim village in Sialkot district, was engaged in the business of selling milk and livestock, but the Punjab floods swept everything away. He recalls that before the flood, “The villagers told me to leave, but I said you people are unnecessarily scared, nothing will happen. And if we leave our homes, thieves will loot everything. Just a few hours later, when the floodwater came, all our animals and household belongings were washed away before our eyes, and we could do nothing.” His village is located just four kilometers from the Head Marala barrage on the Chenab River, one of the worst-hit areas during the Chenab River flooding. After three hours of continuous effort, workers from a welfare organization finally managed to move him and his family to a safe location this morning, highlighting the struggle of flood rescue efforts. Ghulam Rasool says he had seven buffaloes and eleven calves at his farmhouse, but the raging waters caused a massive livestock loss, taking away all of them. Describing last night, he said that until 6 or 7 in the evening, everything was normal. Then, from the mosque loudspeaker, an announcement was made urging people to evacuate because water was being released from Head Marala. “Not long after, a police vehicle also came to the village and repeated the same announcement. By that time, many displaced villagers had already locked their homes and left,” he said. “Our neighbor, Umar Farooq, told me, ‘You should leave quickly as well.’ I replied, ‘Are you crazy? How can I abandon my animals?’ Then he said, ‘At least send your wife and children to a relative’s home.’ I refused, insisting that my house was solidly built, and nothing would happen.” But by 10 p.m., the entire village was deserted, and suddenly, a powerful wave of floodwater hit, sweeping away their farmhouse and all their animals. “My wife, my seven children, and I climbed onto the roof and helplessly watched everything being destroyed. My wife and children started crying, asking what would become of us now, and how we would survive,” Ghulam Rasool said. According to him, his son Farhan called a few friends to inform them that they were trapped with no way out. His friends started mobilizing for help, while he also shared their location in some WhatsApp groups. “Finally, this morning (Wednesday), volunteers from Alkhidmat Foundation reached us. They placed ladders against the roof, helped us down, and took us to safety in boats,” he explained. Reflecting on his ordeal, he added: “My forefathers had settled in this village near the Chenab River, which is why I lived here too. But now, I tell everyone: never build a house near a river — it doesn’t take long for the river to turn ruthless.”
“Thatthi Baloch is a village of historical importance, but the waters of the Chenab River have left nothing intact,” says Dil Nawaz Khan, a resident of Thatthi Baloch. His family managed to leave the village in time, but he stayed behind to protect his home and livestock — a decision that proved costly. He could not save either his house or his animals, and on top of that, he faced extreme difficulties in escaping the rising floodwaters. Dil Nawaz explains that some villagers decided to send their families to relatives’ homes outside the area, but they themselves stayed back to protect their homes and cattle. “No one had imagined that the river would overflow and the water would come out with such force.” “In Thatthi Baloch, the water came in so suddenly that everyone panicked — some climbed onto walls, others onto rooftops. Those who climbed trees were soon swept away as the trees broke under the pressure. The water was so high that even the roofs of houses and farmhouses were no longer visible.” According to Dil Nawaz Khan, the entire night passed in fear. Around five in the morning, two Rescue 1122 teams appeared, rescuing people with the help of boats. “I too got onto one of the boats, and they took me to a relief camp in Sohdra,” he recalls. “Thatthi Baloch was settled by the Baloch people, but now the Chenab has devastated it.” He asks who will compensate for the losses suffered by the villagers. “We are Baloch and we are self-reliant. We are not used to asking for help, but government institutions do not provide compensation unless one begs for it.” According to the list issued by the Gujranwala district administration of areas affected by the Chenab River flooding, Sohdra, Rasul Nagar, Ratowali Shumal, Gorali, Kot Kahlwan, Chak Ali Sher, Jhamkay, Burj Dhala, Burj Cheema, Garhi Ghulla, Kot Ratta, and Thatthi Baloch are among the severely flood-hit areas. Deputy Commissioner Naveed Ahmed stated that 13 relief camps have been set up in flood-affected areas. Rescue teams and the district administration have so far moved 5,100 people and 1,700 animals to safer places within the past 24 hours.
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