India warns Pakistan of high floods as displaced reach 1.8M

KARACHI, Pakistan

India has alerted Pakistan of “high floods” on the Sutlej River as northeastern regions brace for another powerful monsoon spell, with the number of displaced people climbing to nearly 2 million, officials said Sunday.

The Indian High Commission in Islamabad informed Pakistani authorities of “high-level” flooding in the Sutlej, according to the Water Resources Ministry. Authorities warned that the surge would affect downstream districts already struggling with severe inundation.

New Delhi has been relaying such warnings through diplomatic channels rather than via the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, which governs water sharing between the two countries. India suspended use of the treaty in April following an attack in the Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) issued an alert, urging officials to activate early warning systems, disseminate evacuation information, and reinforce embankments.

In Multan, located between the Sutlej and Chenab rivers, floodwaters breached at least three embankments, inundating dozens of villages. Pirwala town was among the worst-hit, with torrents submerging homes, farmland, and standing crops.

Footage broadcast by Geo News showed residents wading through waist-deep water carrying belongings, while rescuers used boats to move people to safer areas. At least five people were killed Saturday when a rescue boat carrying 30 people capsized near Multan.

The southern Sindh province is bracing for medium to high floods as the deluges swell the Indus River.

Irfan Ali Kathia, director general of the PDMA, told Anadolu that the number of displaced in Punjab province alone has reached 1.8 million, with 4.1 million people affected overall.