Punjab Floods Submerge Thousands of Villages, Threatening Pakistan’s Economy
Severe monsoon flooding across Pakistan’s Punjab province has submerged over 2,000 villages and affected more than two million people, causing widespread devastation to homes, farmland, and livestock.
The worst floods in decades have displaced hundreds of thousands, destroyed vital crops, and triggered a looming food security crisis that threatens to drive inflation higher and disrupt the nation’s fragile economy, an article on the Reuters reported.
Across the fertile plains of Punjab, families are grappling with the aftermath of relentless rains and rising river levels. Women and children have evacuated; men remain behind guarding what little is left.” The provincial disaster management authority reports that more than 760,000 people and over half a million animals have been evacuated, with at least 33 fatalities recorded in under a week.
Entire neighborhoods have been washed away, leaving displaced residents living in makeshift tent camps scattered across flood-affected areas. Near the Ravi River alone, around 150 to 200 camps house thousands of families under tarpaulins and tents, often beside foul-smelling drains. Relief efforts include 511 relief camps, 351 medical sites, and 321 veterinary facilities, supported by over 15,000 police officers deployed to assist ongoing evacuations.
The agricultural sector has suffered catastrophic losses. Vast stretches of rice, sugarcane, maize, vegetables, and cotton fields lie submerged. Cotton crop losses pose a severe threat to the textile industry, which accounts for more than half of Pakistan’s exports and is already challenged by a 19% tariff imposed by the United States. Livestock owners have lost vital income sources after their animals weakened or perished.
The floods come at a precarious time for Pakistan’s economy. Inflation had eased to 4.1% in July from over 11% the previous year, and food inflation, which peaked above 50% in 2023, had shown signs of cooling. However, analysts predict that the August inflation figures will rise again to 4–5% due to food shortages caused by the floods. Delays in wheat sowing, reduced rice exports, and the need to import cotton are expected to further strain the economy.
In urban areas like Lahore, floodwaters reached unprecedented levels. Experts warn that the cost of recovery will run into billions of rupees, with urgent support needed to help farmers rebuild and prevent a deepening food crisis.
As Pakistan confronts one of its most severe natural disasters in decades, the scale of human suffering and economic damage underscores the urgent need for coordinated relief and long-term recovery efforts to support millions affected by the devastating Punjab floods.
