Heavy rainfall in Pakistan has caused massive flooding, submerging the historic Gurdwara Sri Kartarpur Sahib in Narowal, located about 4.5 kilometres from the India-Pakistan border. Visuals from the area show the Gurdwara almost completely submerged, with floodwaters covering large parts of the shrine and even the Kartarpur Corridor, which usually provides visa-free passage for Sikh pilgrims from India.

The flooding intensified after India released excess water from overflowing dams and swollen rivers into low-lying border regions. Anticipating the risk, New Delhi had earlier alerted Islamabad about the possibility of cross-border flooding. Despite this, the heavy downpour combined with rising river levels has created a crisis in Pakistan.

According to Pakistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), nearly 2 lakh people have been evacuated from flood-prone areas of Punjab province. Rescue teams, along with the army, have been deployed in at least seven districts to provide immediate relief. In Kasur district alone, over 14,000 residents have been shifted to safer places, while nearly 90,000 people were evacuated from Bahawalnagar near the Indian border.

The NDMA has also reported extremely high water levels in major rivers. At Kot Naina on the Ravi River, nearly 2.3 lakh cusecs of water are flowing in, while at Head Marala on the Chenab River, the water flow has surged to 9.22 lakh cusecs. The Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers together pose a serious threat to towns, villages, and farmlands in the region.

The Government of Punjab, Pakistan, took to social media to acknowledge the crisis, urging people to remain cautious. Authorities have advised residents to stay away from rivers, avoid unnecessary travel, and follow alerts through media, mobile phones, and the NDMA’s disaster alert app. With continuous rainfall, rising water levels, and thousands displaced, the flood situation in Pakistan’s Punjab remains extremely critical.