Three drown in floodwaters in southern Punjab

Multan: In the tehsil of Jalalpur Pirwala, two women and a young man lost their lives after drowning in floodwaters.

According to rescue officials, in Chak 81/M of Jalalpur Pirwala, the women drowned while returning home after floodwaters had receded. In Chak 66/M, a young man drowned in stagnant floodwater.

Meanwhile, in Bahawalnagar, the areas of Basti Janan Wali and surrounding localities were affected by the Sutlej River, where over 50 houses were destroyed due to riverbank erosion.

Authorities say more than 500 additional houses are at risk. In an effort to prevent further losses, local residents have begun demolishing their own homes. A large portion of the area’s madrassa and mosque has also been destroyed, while the local primary school has suffered severe damage.

On the other hand, in Bahawalpur, flood victims in Baqirpur accused the administration of forcing them to vacate relief camps and staged a protest. However, the Deputy Commissioner rejected the allegations.

The Deputy Commissioner stated that residents will only be asked to leave once the situation improves, and that the presence of victims in their homes and communities is essential during the damage assessment survey.