In Peshawar, the Hanjaliwala Bridge on was swept away by floodwaters, cutting off access to several nearby tehsils and leaving residents stranded, authorities confirmed on Wednesday morning.
Deputy Commissioner Peshawar Syed Hasan Raza stated in a video briefing that the Ravi River near Kot Nina is facing an extremely high flood situation, putting surrounding villages at serious risk.
The Pakistan Meteorological Department has predicted that heavy rainfall will continue for the next one to three hours across Peshawar, Sialkot, and nearby districts, including Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Rawalpindi, Chakwal, Murree, and Gilgit-Baltistan regions.
Recent rainfall has already brought 363 millimeters of water in Peshawar over the past 24 hours. Authorities have urged residents to avoid rivers, streams, and flood-prone areas for their safety.
Deputy Commissioner Raza called on residents of high-risk villages, including Kot Nina, Ikhlas Pur, Kartarpur, and surrounding rural areas, to immediately move to flood relief camps established under the Chief Minister of Punjab’s supervision.
Rescue 1122 teams have already evacuated 14 people trapped in Chenab River near Thatha Faqir Allah in Gujranwala, transferring them safely. Rescue operations continue across Peshawar, Sialkot, Gujrat, Wazirabad, Hafizabad, and Mandi Bahauddin districts.
DG PDMA Irfan Ali Kathia stated that rivers in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej, are experiencing historic flood levels. Chenab at Marala has an inflow of 769,000 cusecs, while Khanqah sees 705,000 cusecs. Ravi at Jesar flows at 229,000 cusecs, and Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala is 245,000 cusecs.
Authorities assured that relief commissioners and emergency teams remain on high alert, coordinating evacuations and ensuring the safety of all residents in flood-affected areas.