Reuters

KARACHI/ ISLAMABAD: Massive floods in Pakistan have struck both the rural heartland and industrial centers for the first time in decades, causing billions of dollars in damage while straining food supplies, exports and a fragile economic recovery.&nbsp;The government had been optimistic about 2026, penciling in 4.2% growth on the back of a rebound in farming and manufacturing after the economy was stabilized under a $7 billion International Monetary Fund bailout.&nbsp;Instead, record monsoon rains since late June, amplified by dam releases from India, have submerged large swathes of Punjab and Sindh, the two most populous and economically vital provinces.&nbsp;While waters have yet to recede in many districts, officials and analysts warn the hit could be deeper than in 2022, when a third of the country lay under water, due to dual shocks to agriculture and manufacturing.&nbsp;Out on the plains, satellite images have traced the scale. A report from the agricultural monitoring initiative GEOGLAM estimates at least 220,000 hectares of rice fields flooded between August 1 and September 16.&nbsp;In Punjab, Pakistan&#39;s rice, cotton and maize engine, 1.8 million acres of farmland have been inundated, according to the provincial disaster management agency.&nbsp;&quot;About 50% of rice, 60% of cotton and maize crops have been damaged,&quot; said Khalid Bath, chairman of the Pakistan Farmers Association.&nbsp;He said losses could exceed 2.5 million acres, worth up to one trillion rupees ($3.53 billion).&nbsp;&quot;This is unlike anything we have seen in recent decades,&quot; said Iqrar Ahmad Khan, former vice chancellor of the University of Agriculture Faisalabad.&nbsp;He estimates that at least a tenth of the country&#39;s crops are destroyed, with vegetable losses topping 90% in some districts.&nbsp;The timing is perilous: Pakistan is about to sow wheat, the crop that provides nearly half of the country&#39;s caloric intake. National reserves remain comfortable after a strong 2024 harvest, according to Crop Monitor, but the sowing window is at risk in fields still slick with silt and mud.&nbsp;&quot;Food insecurity is coming, not just higher prices,&quot; Khan warned.&nbsp;Underlying risksPlanning Minister Ahsan Iqbal acknowledged the floods would &quot;set back&quot; GDP growth and said a clearer damage tally would be ready in about two weeks.&nbsp;Pakistan&#39;s central bank said the deluge would cause a &quot;temporary yet significant supply shock,&quot; and it put growth near the lower end of its 3.25&ndash;4.25% range.&nbsp;It argued the shock would be less severe than the $30 billion disaster in 2022, with stronger forex reserves and lower interest rates offering some resilience.&nbsp;But prices for wheat, sugar, onions and tomatoes have jumped, pushing a sensitive price index to a 26‑month high.&nbsp;IMF resident representative Mahir Binici said an upcoming review of the Extended Fund Facility this week will assess whether the 2026 fiscal year budget and emergency provisions can meet the nation&#39;s needs. Iqbal called on the fund to &quot;help us mitigate the damages&quot;.&nbsp;Some economists say policymakers are underplaying the risks.&nbsp;&quot;The floods will increase the current account deficit by $7 billion. They are worse than the previous floods,&quot; former finance minister Hafeez Pasha said. Counting LossesIn industrial cities such as Sialkot - a hub for textiles, sporting goods and surgical equipment that underpin Pakistan&#39;s exports - several workshops were marooned.&nbsp;The hit to agriculture is also a blow for manufacturers. Industrialists say cotton shortfalls will ripple into the textile sector, the country&#39;s top foreign exchange earner, while rice exporters warn Pakistan risks losing competitiveness to India as prices rise.&nbsp;&quot;We had 400 acres of cotton, but only 90 are left,&quot; farmer Rab Nawaz said, near the historic city of Multan.&nbsp;At least 1,006 people have been killed since June 26, the National Disaster Management Authority said, while over 2.5 million people have been evacuated in Punjab and Sindh.&nbsp;In the provincial capital Lahore, homes and small businesses were gutted.&nbsp;Mohammad Arif, a 50‑year‑old rickshaw driver and father of five, said he moved his vehicle to higher ground as his home was inundated.&nbsp;&quot;We have been on the roads for three days,&quot; he said.

Climate & Environment

Crop Monitor maps 220,000 hectares of rice fields under water. A new report highlights risks to upcoming wheat sowing. The cotton shortfall threatens to impact the textile sector. 

Pakistan floods batter fields, factories and fiscal plans

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Torrential rain slammed Pakistan&rsquo;s commercial hub of Karachi on Wednesday, killing at least three people and inundating major parts of the city.More than 350 residents evacuated from flooded homes, rescue officials said, as overflowing rivers and dams caused widespread damage.The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) had issued an alert earlier this week, warning officials to prepare for the final phase of the monsoon season. On Wednesday, the Met Office said the active monsoon system remained about 60 kilometers west of Karachi, but was expected to weaken into a low-pressure area as it tracked toward the Balochistan coast by evening.Rainfall levels were among the highest recorded this season. According to PMD data, Surjani Town received 129.6 millimeters, while North Karachi saw 72 mm, Korangi recorded 71 mm, and Defence Phase VII got 70 mm.Emergency services reported two vehicles swept away in Karachi&rsquo;s east. One woman was found dead, and a man was electrocuted in North Nazimabad. Three others remain missing.Footage aired on local media showed the low laying areas submerged under several feet of water, contradicting earlier statements from municipal officials.Talking to PakistanTV, Weather Walay, a weather monitoring startup, said the city is now experiencing the final spells of the monsoon.Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah toured the flood-hit areas and confirmed that water from the Kirthar Hills had caused Thado Dam to overflow. He urged residents to remain cautious until water levels subside.Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said four relief centers had been activated and drainage pumps were working across the city. The Karachi commissioner ordered all schools and colleges to remain closed on Wednesday due to safety concerns.By evening, the PMD reported that water levels in the Malir River had fallen from 12 feet to 8 feet. While Karachi&rsquo;s monsoon season is nearing its end, another weather system is expected to bring heavy rain to northern Pakistan between September 15 and 20, the agency added.

Heavy monsoon rains in Karachi killed three people, submerged neighborhoods, and forced school closures. Rescue teams evacuated hundreds as overflowing rivers and dams triggered urban flooding across Pakistan’s largest city

Record rainfall floods Pakistan’s commercial capital, leaves three dead

ISLAMABAD: Intermittent monsoon rains have caused chaos across southern Pakistan, with Karachi and other parts of Sindh dealing with urban flooding, and southern Punjab facing a severe flood emergency as a second wave moves through the Chenab and Sutlej rivers. Karachi: Urban flooding stalls the cityKarachi was drenched by persistent rain overnight into Wednesday morning, leading to widespread disruption and flooding in low-lying neighborhoods. The highest rainfall was recorded in Surjani Town at 116 mm, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. The heavy rain caused urban flooding, overflowing streams, and the spilling of major nullahs and rivers, including the Malir, Thado Dam, and Memon Goth, resulting in water flooding the streets and cutting off key transportation links, such as the Superhighway and National Highway. Many areas, including Sohrab Goth, Hasan Nauman Colony, and Saadi Town, were submerged, forcing residents to evacuate. Authorities ordered schools to close, and the Pakistan Army was deployed to assist with rescue operations. Sindh faces heavy rainsThe tenth monsoon spell has intensified across Sindh, with Hyderabad, Jamshoro, Badin, Sehwan, and Sujawal receiving heavy downpours. In Hyderabad, major urban centers like Latifabad and Qasimabad remain waterlogged. In Jamshoro and Sehwan, rising waters from hills and streams disrupted roads and flooded residential and commercial areas. In rural parts of Nowshero Feroze, Dadu, and Mirpurkhas, overflowing drains submerged crops, raising fears of agricultural losses. South Punjab: Flood emergency declaredMeanwhile, in southern Punjab, authorities are managing a dual flood threat as rivers swell with upstream inflows. On Wednesday, Pakistan&rsquo;s disaster management authority warned of high flood levels in the Sutlej River after water flows at Harike and Ferozepur in India crossed danger levels. The PDMA warned that districts including Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar, Vehari, Lodhran, Bahawalpur, Multan, and Muzaffargarh could be impacted. At the same time, a second flood wave in the Chenab River has prompted mass evacuations across Multan and nearby districts. As the floodwaters surged through Head Muhammadwala and Shershah bridges, officials called the situation an &ldquo;unprecedented flood emergency.&rdquo; The water level at Shershah was just below the critical 393.50-foot mark. Authorities warned that if levels rise further, embankments might be intentionally breached to ease pressure&mdash;a move that could displace over 30,000 people and affect 8,000 homes. By Tuesday, more than 185,000 people had already been affected in Muzaffargarh and Rangpur. In Jalalpur Pirwala alone, 50 villages were submerged, forcing the evacuation of more than 235,000 residents and 180,000 livestock to safer areas. Multan Deputy Commissioner Waseem Hamid Sindhu confirmed that a flood flow of 500,000 cusecs from Head Trimmu had reached Head Muhammadwala, increasing pressure on flood defenses. He added that emergency measures would stay in place for at least the next 24 hours. Conflicting forecasts cause concernConflicting weather forecasts have created uncertainty among people in the affected regions. PDMA Punjab stated on Tuesday that the tenth monsoon spell had ended and dismissed the possibility of further flood waves. However, a senior official from the Pakistan Meteorological Department disagreed, warning that monsoon activity in India had not yet ended and could lead to a third flood wave downstream in Pakistan.&nbsp;

Monsoon rains trigger severe flooding in southern Pakistan, affecting Karachi, Sindh, and South Punjab, mass evacuations underway amid ongoing flood emergency.

Articles tagged with "floods 2025"

Pakistan floods batter fields, factories and fiscal plans

Record rainfall floods Pakistan’s commercial capital, leaves three dead

Pakistan braces for more rain amid widespread flooding in Sindh, Punjab