Join our Whatsapp channel
NAROWAL: Miseries of flood victims are increasing by the day due to the lack of basic facilities at the flood relief camps. They are forced to spend nights in the open with their animals and cattle.
A man who was trying to move his family to a safer place drowned in the flood. Muhammad Ramzan, a resident of Hajiwala, was taking his family out of the floodwater when he drowned in the fast-moving floodwater. Locals pulled out the dead body from the floodwater. Rescue 1122 confirmed his death.
The flood of rainwater drain Dek entered Narowal city and it submerged houses with two to three foot floodwater. The areas which have seen flooding include Abbas Nagar, Kakar Colony, Satellite Town, Railway Colony, Siddiqui Colony, Kache Kothi, Ganj Hussainabad, Girls College Road, Makki Masjid Road, Eidgah Road. Villages in the path of the floodwater are also flooded. Teams from other districts have also reached Narowal to carry out rescue operations.
According to the irrigation department, the flow of water in the Ravi River and some other rainwater drains is decreasing. The water level in the Ravi has reduced from 250,000 cusecs to 113,200 cusecs. Despite the increase in water level in the river, the floodwater flowing from the Ravi is moving rapidly towards the village of Baddomalhi.
Man drowns evacuating family; Ravi recedes but Dek causing more flood in Narowal city
There is low-level flooding in the rainwater Dek, Bryan and Basantar. Two days ago, the dam of Dek broke from the village Lahri and Skroor in tehsil Zafarwal. The floodwater flowing from the Dek entered Narowal city. While the water is receding in the river and drains, the floodwater entering Narowal city is increasing. The railway track has been submerged as well. A three-foot floodwater is passing through the Narowal-Sialkot railway crossing. The track of the Narowal Railway Station is flooded.
The Shakargarh Road from Kakeki Mor to Manzoorpura is 12 feet above the ground. Dozens of flood victims have set up their own temporary camps on the road with their families and animals.
Flood victims, Muhammad Amin and Abdul Razaq, told Dawn that they had been spending nights in the open for the past three days. They complained that their families and animals were trapped in the flood but the administration did not help them. They had no information about the flood relief camps set up by the district government.
“The administration officers pass by Narowal-Shakargarh Road every day in their heavy vehicles but they never stop by or tell us to go to the flood relief camp.”
The flood victims said that there was no fodder for their animals and their cows, buffaloes and goats were hungry for the last three days.
Muhammad Aslam and Kashif Mahmood Siddiqui said they had gone to the flood relief camp established by the district administration Narowal as well. “Though there was medicine for humans and animals, there were no arrangements for food, clean drinking water and accommodation,” they said.
The flood victims demanded Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz take strict notice of the situation.
The district administration claims to have set up 38 relief camps across the district for flood victims. District Emergency Officer Muhammad Aurangzeb told Dawn that 2,311 people, including children, women and men, have been rescued from flood so far. He said 16 teams of rescuers were continuously conducting rescue operations in different areas.
Deputy Commissioner Syed Hassan Raza told Dawn that 50 to 75pc of the population of Narowal district had been affected due to the flood. He said 35 water boats were rescuing the flood victims and shifting them to safer places.
“The food packages received from the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) are being distributed. The district administration is ensuring the provision of basic facilities to the flood victims at the flood relief camps, claimed the DC.
Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2025