Over 210,000 evacuated as Sutlej and Ravi rivers swell; diplomatic tensions resurface amid humanitarian warnings

A flood emergency has gripped Pakistan’s Punjab province after India released massive volumes of water from the Thein and Madhopur dams, triggering high to exceptionally high flooding across the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers. The deluge, compounded by relentless monsoon rains, has displaced over 210,000 residents and submerged hundreds of villages.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued urgent alerts, warning that the next 48 hours are critical. Urban flooding is expected in Lahore, Kasur, Bahawalnagar, and Okara, with embankments breached and crops destroyed across southern Punjab.

India communicated the dam releases to Pakistan on “humanitarian grounds,” bypassing the Indus Waters Treaty framework, which has been suspended since April following a militant attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakistani officials have condemned the move, calling it a violation of international law with potential consequences for regional stability.

Among the hardest-hit areas is the Kartarpur Corridor, where floodwaters submerged the historic Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, prompting emergency evacuations by boat. Relief camps have been set up across affected districts, offering food, medical aid, and shelter to displaced families.

Climate experts warn that intensified rainfall patterns and uncoordinated water management between India and Pakistan could exacerbate future flood risks. “The flood situation is grave,” said Irfan Ali Kathia of PDMA Punjab.