Floodwaters wash away section of motorway near Jalalpur Pirwala

MULTAN: A section of the Multan–Sukkur (M-5) Motorway near Jalalpur Pirwala has been washed away by floodwaters, police officials confirmed on Monday.

According to authorities, traffic on the affected portion of the motorway has been suspended following severe damage caused by the breach of floodwater near Uch Sharif Road.

The National Highway Authority (NHA) attempted emergency repairs to the damaged bridge; however, officials said the work had to be halted due to the strong current of floodwaters. The traffic police have advised commuters to use alternative routes until the motorway is restored.

According to officials, officials reported that water pressure on the protective embankment safeguarding Jalalpur city has been steadily decreasing.

They added that as water levels in the River Chenab continue to recede, floodwaters have also begun to withdraw from several inundated areas of Shujabad.

On the other hand, dozens of villages were affected by the crack of Uch Sharif Road, while rescue operations are underway to save people and property.

Earlier, The death toll from flood-related incidents in Punjab has crossed 100, officials confirmed on Saturday.

Director General of Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab, Irfan Ali Kathia, while addressing the media at the Commissioner’s Office, said that the province is facing the worst flood in its history, with nearly 5,000 villages affected.

He added that three rivers in Punjab are simultaneously experiencing high-level flooding. “Unfortunately, the situation has deteriorated in Jalalpur Pirwala and surrounding areas,” Kathia noted, highlighting the scale of the disaster.