Heavy monsoon rains and worsening climate impacts have forced the evacuation of more than two million people in Pakistan’s Punjab province, officials reported on Thursday. Authorities have also relocated 150,000 residents in Sindh province as rivers continue to overflow, threatening communities across the country.
Inam Haider Malik, head of Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority, warned that “the number may rise over the coming days,” as torrential rains persist. Since late June, monsoon flooding has claimed over 900 lives nationwide, with extensive damage to homes, infrastructure, and agricultural lands, according to the International Medical Corps.
Climate change has intensified the scale of Pakistan’s flooding, with heavier rainfall causing rivers to surge beyond their banks. However, experts also blame insufficient government investment in flood mitigation measures, including early-warning systems, river embankments, and resilient infrastructure.
In Punjab, rescuers have been forced to go door-to-door, relocating residents and livestock using small boats. These operations remain perilous. On Tuesday, nine people drowned after a rescue boat capsized in the Indus River, following a similar incident days earlier near Jalalpur Pirwala city.
The floods have devastated already vulnerable communities. Around 40% of Pakistanis live below the poverty line, and many chose to remain in their homes to protect belongings despite rising waters. Agricultural losses are severe, with vast swathes of farmland destroyed, threatening food security in the region.
The disaster has also affected neighboring India, where flooding has killed at least 30 people and displaced more than 354,000, highlighting the broader regional vulnerability to extreme monsoon events.
Pakistan’s authorities have delivered thousands of relief supplies, including tents, blankets, and water purification devices, to affected areas. Malik emphasized that it may take weeks for floodwaters to recede, delaying rehabilitation efforts for the thousands of villages and fields damaged by the storms.
International support is underway. The United Nations allocated $5 million to assist Pakistan’s flood response, while the United States dispatched disaster relief personnel and approved additional funding. These interventions mark the first international assistance during President Trump’s second term.
Pakistan’s unique geography makes the country highly susceptible to climate-related disasters. Its glaciers are rapidly melting, forming new lakes at risk of sudden glacial outbursts. The nation also faces extreme heat, unpredictable rainfall, and increasing storm intensity, all of which exacerbate the impact of floods.
Authorities have declared a climate emergency and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the development of a 300-day plan to address challenges posed by climate change. This follows memories of the 2022 floods, which killed over 1,700 people and affected more than 30 million, making it one of the deadliest flood events in the country’s history.
The ongoing floods serve as a stark reminder of Pakistan’s urgent need for resilient infrastructure, proactive disaster management, and global cooperation to mitigate the growing threats posed by climate change.
