Lahore, Murree and GB on alert as authorities prepare for flooding, melting glaciers and water risks
Vehicles move along a flooded road following monsoon rains and rising waters in Sialkot, Punjab province, Pakistan, August 27, 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS
LAHORE:
Authorities in Punjab and northern areas have stepped up preparations ahead of the monsoon season, with contingency plans finalized in Lahore, restrictions imposed on hazardous water sites in Murree and new warnings issued over risks from melting glaciers in Gilgit-Baltistan.
A meeting chaired by Lahore Deputy Commissioner Captain (retd.) Muhammad Ali Ejaz reviewed the arrangements made to deal with potential urban and riverine floods during the upcoming monsoon season. Senior officials of the district administration, Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA), Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL), Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA), Rescue 1122, Irrigation Department and other relevant agencies attended the meeting.
Officials reviewed contingency plans for possible flooding and discussed the condition of protective embankments, drainage infrastructure and emergency response measures. The Department of Irrigation and RUDA briefed participants on flood protection embankments, while WASA and MCL described ongoing pipeline cleaning and water drainage operations.
WASA informed the meeting that 617 dewatering sets and 134 disposal stations were fully operational. MCL also presented a plan to maintain 70 drainage stations on high alert across the city’s nine administrative zones.
Rescue 1122 presented its water rescue and emergency response plan, while Civil Defense said 139 trained volunteers were ready to respond to any emergency.
The district administration said continuous monitoring was being carried out along 38.95 miles of protective bunds in riverine areas. Security arrangements have also been made for 35 colonies located along the Ravi River.
Authorities have earmarked 65 relief camps to provide immediate assistance to residents of all affected areas.
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The deputy commissioner has directed all departments to take precautionary and administrative measures before the onset of monsoon rains. He also directed the district emergency control room to remain operational round the clock and stressed close coordination among all agencies.
Besides, the Murree district administration has imposed Section 144 in hazardous water areas to prevent drownings. A notification prohibited swimming and recreational activities in waterfalls, dams, streams and other dangerous bodies of water.
Public access has been restricted to Bansra Waterfall, Bansra Dam, Samli Dam and other identified locations. The administration said stricter security measures had been introduced following recent rains and a series of drownings in which three young men lost their lives in different locations within a week.
Under Section 144, gatherings and water-based recreational activities were banned for 30 days starting June 6. Authorities warned that legal action would be taken against violators and urged tourists and residents to stay away from dangerous water sites.
The government has also advised people not to reside in dilapidated or structurally unsafe buildings during the monsoon, warning that such structures could pose serious risks to human life during heavy rains.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued an alert for Hispar village in Nagar district where melting glaciers have triggered riverbank erosion and landslides. According to the alert, rising water levels linked to accelerated melting of glaciers have disrupted access beyond the main Nagar Chowk area.
The NDMA said rising temperatures have accelerated the melting of glaciers in Britain. Water flow and river levels continue to rise due to the melting of the Hispar-Hopper glacial system, raising concerns about increased erosion and landslides in vulnerable areas.
According to the latest weather forecast, mainly hot and dry conditions are expected in most districts of Punjab on Sunday, with very hot weather likely in the south of the province. Kashmir is expected to remain partly cloudy, while isolated rains and gusty winds hit parts of central Punjab and Kashmir during the last 24 hours.
