Punjab Issues Update on School Holidays Amid Flood Alert

The Punjab School Education Department has authorized district Deputy Commissioners to decide on school holidays in light of the worsening flood situation.

According to an official notification, “local authorities are instructed to assess the flood situation and determine whether to close schools temporarily.” The directive comes as several schools remain affected by floodwaters, with many still partially submerged. Authorities have assured that schools will reopen once conditions improve.

Punjab is grappling with one of the worst flood crises in recent history. Rising waters in the Sutlej and Ravi rivers, fueled by water releases from India, have put cities like Kasur and Multan on high alert. Over 1.4 million people have been affected so far, with 28 deaths reported across the province.

For the first time since 1955, a massive flood wave has reached Kasur, where flows at Ganda Singh Wala have exceeded 303,000 cusecs. Officials have described protecting the city as a “major challenge.”

In Multan, authorities are preparing for a large flood wave from the Chenab River. A controlled breach at Head Muhammad Wala has been planned to reduce pressure, while over 300,000 residents have already evacuated. In nearby Jalalpur Pirwala, floods from the Sutlej have impacted more than 140 villages.

The devastation has spread to Rajanpur, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad, and Chishtian, where dozens of villages are submerged. At Chishtian, a breached embankment has flooded nearly 50 settlements, displacing hundreds.

With major rivers swelling beyond safe limits, authorities remain on high alert as Punjab braces for further damage in the coming days.