Monsoon season officially ends in Punjab, says DG PDMA

LAHORE: Director General of Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Irfan Ali Kathia, announced on Friday that the monsoon season has officially ended and no rainfall is expected in the coming week.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, the DG PDMA said that with the conclusion of the monsoon season, floodwaters have started receding from affected areas. As water levels continue to drop, boat operations in several districts are no longer required.

He further stated that water flow from Marala to Panjnad is now normal. The situation is improving steadily, and no embankments had to be breached during the recent floods, he added.

He revealed that so far, 4,755 villages across 28 districts have been affected, with the worst-hit areas being Alipur, Multan, and Jalalpur.

The DG PDMA added that around 2.48 million acres of agricultural land came under water. Crop losses included 15% of the rice harvest and 22% of the sugarcane crop.

He appreciated the Agriculture Department for its support in providing fodder for livestock, which helped save large numbers of cattle during the floods.

He further revealed that 425 medical camps were set up to provide treatment to flood victims. One person died yesterday from a snakebite, bringing the total death toll from flood-related incidents to 123 so far.