Devastating Floods Inundate 280 Villages Across Punjab, 28 Dead

Lahore:Raging rivers have submerged at least **280 villages across Punjab**, sweeping away ready-to-harvest crops and destroying homes. Thousands of residents have been forced to abandon their belongings and flee to safer places, as scenes of devastation replace once-thriving communities.

At **Ganda Singh Wala**, the Sutlej River continues to flow at a **high flood level**, prompting fresh evacuation announcements for nearby villages. Meanwhile, the Ravi River has unleashed **extreme flooding in Lahore**, where areas including **Barah Dari, Thokar Niaz Baig, Badami Bagh, Chuhng, Babu Sabu, and Rangeel Pur** have gone underwater.

In **Gujranwala and Gujrat divisions**, floodwaters remain stagnant in many villages, damaging standing crops and forcing residents to migrate. Similar evacuations are underway in low-lying areas of **Sargodha, Chiniot, Bahawalnagar, and Faisalabad**.

Authorities have confirmed at least **28 deaths**, while the toll is feared to rise as rescue operations continue.

The **National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)** has warned that **heavy rains in the next 12–18 hours** could worsen the crisis in **Gujranwala, Lahore, and Gujrat divisions**. With dangerously high water levels in the **Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers**, officials caution that further flooding and widespread damage are likely.