By Mansoor Malik | Imran Gabol

Copyright dawn

Over 4,500 villages affected; 2,000 teams to conduct survey
• 118 deaths reported in flood-linked incidents
• Sutlej floods ravage Multan, Lodhran, Bahawalpur
• NHA races to restore damaged sections of M-5 motorway

LAHORE: Following instructions from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, the Punjab government has announced it will soon be launching a comprehensive damage assessment survey across the 28 flood-hit districts of the province.

The decision to launch the survey was taken in a meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman at the Civil Secretariat on Wednesday.

The meeting reviewed the ongoing flood relief and rehabilitation efforts in the province and assessed the readiness of the local administrations for the effective distribution of aid, restoration of damaged infrastructure and deployment of health services in the affected areas.

The chief secretary directed the provision of additional tents and food supplies to the flood-stricken communities of Uch Sharif. He instructed the Bahawalpur deputy commissioner (DC) to remain in the field and personally oversee relief operations in the district.

Mr Zaman said a survey would be initiated soon to assess loss of human lives during the flood and the damage caused to houses, crops and livestock.

The DCs have been directed to personally supervise the survey process in the field to ensure transparency and accuracy.

The chief secretary also stressed swift drainage of stagnant floodwater, prevention of disease outbreaks, improvement in sanitation and restoration of road connectivity in the affected areas.

“As water levels recede, water ponding must be cleared without any delay,” he said.

Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabeel Javed brie-fed the meeting that more than 4,500 villages had been affected by recent floods. Over 2,000 teams are being mobilised for the assessment. Families displaced in Narowal, Sialkot, Chiniot, Jhang, Okara, Sahiwal and Sargodha districts have now begun returning home.

The meeting was attended by additional chief secretary, fina-nce secretary and other senior officials from relevant departments. Divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners from across the province participated in the meeting via video link.

Sutlej surging

Meanwhile, water levels in the Sutlej River continued to rise, inundating low-lying areas of Multan, Bahawalpur and Lodh-ran. Four days ago, the Noraja Bhutta dyke broke, submerging several union councils of Jalalpur Pirwala, including Noraja Bhutta, Basti Lang, Bahadurpur, Dipal, Sundra, Kanu, Jhando, Beetowali and Kotla Chakar.

To save Jalalpur Pirwala city, the district administration carri–ed out a controlled breach at Gil–lani Road, diverting water tow-ards villages and kutcha areas.

Floodwaters damaged the Multan-Suk-kur Motorway (M-5) at five points and spread into villages along the highway in Mul-tan, Lo–dhran and Bahawalpur districts, including Phagal Marhi, Hayat-pur, Jhanmp, Soiwala and Muradpur.

Floodwaters also reached Uch Sharif, submerging nearby settlements such as Jhangra and Basti Mir Chakar Rind. The Multan-Uch Sharif Motorway section has been closed to traffic after severe damage to more than five locations. National Highway Autho-rity (NHA) officials and police are enforcing diversions, with reopening contingent on receding water levels and repairs.

As water receded in Muzaf-fargarh’s Alipur tehsil, authorities recovered nine bodies from submerged areas, all of whom drowned during the flood.

Multan district administration spokesperson Waseem Yousuf told Dawn that while the Chenab’s levels were falling, a major flood surge in the Sutlej was expected to reach Jalalpur within days, threatening adjacent villages in Lodhran and Bahawalpur.

Relief Commissioner Javed said 118 people had died in various flood-related accidents. He said that 4.7 million people across 47,000 mouzas had been affected, with 2.6m people and 2m cattle evacuated. A total of 337 relief camps, 429 medical camps and 368 veterinary camps have been established.

He said that Mangla Dam is 95 per cent full and Tarbela is at full capacity, while India’s Bhakra Dam is 88pc full, Pong 94pc and Thein 88pc.

Punjab PDMA spokesperson said water levels were falling in nearly all major rivers of Punjab, including Jhelum, Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab.

“A low-level flood persists at Panjnad, with water level now at 148,450 cusecs, while Ganda Singh Wala continues to be in a medium flood with water level 95,000 cusecs,” he said.

He said that the water level at Sulemanki Headworks was rising at 88,238 cusecs while Islam Headworks was steady 71,751.

Earlier, Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman said the government will soon begin a survey to assess the flood damage in the 28 flood-hit districts of the province. He was chairing a meeting to oversee rehabilitation efforts and directed relevant authorities to ensure the drainage of water in flood-affected areas and the restoration of roads.

The chief secretary also directed the immediate dispatch of additional tents and rations to flood-affected areas, particularly Uch Sharif in Bahawalpur, instructing authorities to remain present in the field to oversee relief arrangements.

Motorway damage

The NHA said on Wednesday that its teams were working round the clock to restore the damaged section of the M-5 Motorway near Jalalpur Pirwala.

In a statement, the authority said temporary restoration of one carriageway had been achieved while engineers and experts continued permanent repair work. Federal Secretary for Communi-cations Ali Sher Mehsud and NHA Chairman Shehryar Sultan have been on site to monitor the situation.

Several sections of the motorway were damaged after protective embankments cracked under flood pressure from the Chenab and Sutlej rivers. Traffic remains diverted to alternative highways until full restoration is complete.

Syed Irfan Raza in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, September 18th, 2025