In a dramatic but calculated move, the Pakistan Army blew up sections of the Chenab River embankments near Gujranwala late Monday night, a step officials said was unavoidable to protect major urban centers from looming disaster.
For several days, water levels in the Chenab had been swelling at an alarming pace, pushing dangerously against protective dykes. Engineers warned that if the river broke its natural course on its own, the devastation could extend deep into Sialkot and Wazirabad, both thickly populated and home to many of the important industrial and trade activity.
Encountered with this threat, the authorities opted for a controlled demolition to divert the river’s fury away from the cities.
The operation was carried out with accuracy and precision. Army engineers were working closely with the district administration, first ensured that residents in nearby villages were evacuated. Loudspeaker declarations and door-to-door efforts were made to urge families to move to safer ground.
Despite the precautions given to them, the cost of the decision is heavy— most rural settlements, along with large stretches of fertile farmland, now lie in the path of rising floodwaters. Farmers kept on fearing that their standing crops, which were weeks away from harvest, might be wiped out overnight.
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Yet officials defend the step as a necessary sacrifice. “This action will save thousands of homes, factories and critical infrastructure in Sialkot and Wazirabad,” one senior irrigation officer said.
Relief camps have been set up to accommodate displaced families, while boats and heavy machinery have been deployed to support rescue work.
The Punjab Irrigation Department confirmed that the Chenab had already crossed the “very high flood” threshold at multiple points across the Gujranwala Division. Authorities have warned that further controlled breaches may be needed if water levels continue to climb.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has urged the masses to strictly follow evacuation orders and stay away from riverbanks. “The priority is to save lives of the people,” an NDMA spokesperson emphasized, as rescue teams remain on round-the-clock alert.
For many of the people living in village, however, the moment is considered to be bittersweet—watching their homes sink under water but keeping in mind their sacrifice may have protected many of others from tragedy.