The Punjab flood has displaced nearly 750,000 people, destroyed crops, and killed dozens. Authorities plan to use satellite images to assess losses and compensate farmers as rescue and relief efforts continue.
Satellite Technology to Support Farmers
Punjab authorities announced that satellite images will be used to assess crop losses after the Punjab flood. Provincial health minister Khawaja Salman Rafique said the technology will help identify which fields were damaged by floodwater and ensure fair compensation for farmers who lost their livelihoods. Rice fields, fodder crops, and livestock have been destroyed in the Punjab flood, pushing many families into a financial crisis..
Evacuations in Kasur and Other Districts
In Kasur district, which borders India, more than 45,000 people were evacuated in just one night after powerful floodwaters broke an embankment on the Indian side of the Sutlej. Many families left their villages with children and livestock, while others refused to move until water levels forced emergency calls.
Officials confirmed that around 127 villages in Kasur have been submerged. Out of the tens of thousands displaced, only a few hundred people have chosen to stay in government relief camps, while most preferred to take shelter with relatives.
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Human and Animal Impact
During the Punjab flood, rescue teams reported saving more than 4,500 animals in Kasur alone. However, many farmers fear further water inflows from India and refuse to abandon their livestock. At relief camps set up for Punjab flood victims, water-borne diseases like diarrhea and scabies have already started to appear, though medical teams and medicines have been deployed to control the situation.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said nearly 750,000 people have been evacuated across the province in recent days, along with almost half a million animals. She stressed that rescue and relief operations are reaching every affected person.
Deaths and Widespread Damage
According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), at least 33 people have died in Punjab due to the floods this week. Nearly 2,200 villages and more than two million people have been directly affected. Torrential monsoon rains, which the Meteorological Department described as the ninth spell of the season, are expected to continue until September 2.
Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reports that since late June, more than 830 people have died nationwide due to heavy rains and floods. Punjab is among the hardest hit, with widespread destruction of farmland and homes.
Rising Water Levels and Future Risks
Flood monitoring reports show exceptionally high water flows at Ganda Singh Wala on the Sutlej, Balloki on the Ravi, and Khanki on the Chenab. Authorities warn that the floodwaters may move further south, increasing risks for Sindh in the coming days, especially around the Guddu and Sukkur barrages of the Indus River.
Conclusion
The Punjab flood is the worst in nearly four decades, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes and destroying vital farmland. With satellite technology, authorities aim to fairly compensate farmers, but the full scale of damage will only be clear once waters recede. Relief efforts continue as people wait anxiously for the rivers to calm.
