Pakistan floods displace 250,000, leave 1.2 million affected

Floods have killed more than 800 people in Pakistan since late June

Last updated: August 28, 2025 | 17:59

2 MIN READ

Rescuers in boats raced through submerged villages in Pakistan’s Punjab province on Thursday after three major rivers—the Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab—burst their banks for the first time in 38 years, displacing nearly 250,000 people and affecting 1.2 million others.

AFP

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Rescue personnel transport people on a boat as they evacuate the flooded area of Kartarpur, a town in Punjab province.

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A general view shows the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor complex partially submerged in floodwaters near the Pakistan-India border in Kartarpur on August 28, 2025.

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Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed that 700 relief camps and 265 medical facilities have been established, with food and supplies reaching the worst-affected communities.

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Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif said timely evacuations and preparations had saved lives, describing the crisis as the province’s worst flood emergency in decades. She urged officials to ensure that displaced families receive food, medicine, and protection against waterborne diseases.

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Despite this, many families reported waiting days for government help. “My family on the rooftop of our house waited for two days for a boat,” said Zainab Bibi, 54, in Narowal district.

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An aerial view of the flooded area on the outskirts of Lahore, the capital of Punjab province on August 28, 2025.

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Since late June, more than 800 people have died in floods across Pakistan. The disaster recalls the catastrophic 2022 floods, which killed nearly 1,700 and highlighted the country’s vulnerability to climate-driven extremes.

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The floods have devastated farmlands, homes and businesses across more than 1,400 villages.

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