Islamabad, September 1, 2025 – The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has warned of a fresh wave of exceptionally high flooding in several major rivers of Pakistan, particularly the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab, over the next 72 hours.
The alert also extends to associated nullahs, with authorities advising communities to brace for potential urban flooding in key regions.
According to the FFC’s daily report issued on Monday, exceptionally high water flows are expected in the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers from September 2 to 4, 2025, continuing downstream afterward. The situation is being closely monitored as water releases from Indian reservoirs are likely to impact flow intensity. The Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala has already reached an exceptionally high flood level, raising concerns about potential overflow into adjoining areas.
In addition to riverine flooding, urban areas, particularly Lahore, Gujranwala, and Gujrat divisions, face a heightened risk of flash floods during the forecast period. The FFC noted that River Chenab at Panjnad is likely to attain very high to exceptionally high flood levels between September 4 and 5, while River Indus at Guddu may experience very high floods from September 6 to 7, 2025.
The Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) Lahore has predicted widespread thunderstorms and heavy to very heavy rainfall across upper Punjab, including the catchments of the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers. Intense rainfall is also expected over parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, and the upper reaches of the Chenab and Jhelum rivers.
Tarbela Dam continues to maintain its Maximum Conservation Level (MCL) of 1,550 feet since August 27, while Mangla Reservoir stands at 1,225.90 feet, just 16.10 feet below its MCL of 1,242 feet. Combined live storage across Tarbela, Chashma, and Mangla reservoirs has reached 12.023 MAF, accounting for 90.29% of the total capacity.
Authorities have urged residents in vulnerable areas near the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers to remain alert and follow safety advisories to minimize risks from potential flooding and water surges in the coming days.