LAHORE: Director General Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Irfan Ali Kathia has said that the monsoon season has officially ended, with no forecast of rain in the coming week.
In a statement on Friday, he said that water in flood-hit areas has started to recede, while the flow of rivers across Punjab has returned to normal. However, he cautioned that water levels in River Sutlej remain high and authorities are closely monitoring the situation.
The PDMA chief noted that parts of the M-5 Motorway had been affected due to floodwaters, but clearance work on the damaged section is under way.
“No decision has been taken regarding a breach on the motorway, and technical teams are keeping a strict watch on the situation,” he said.
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Kathia stressed that all concerned departments were on alert to deal with any emergency and added that the PDMA was working with the National Highway Authority to ensure the smooth reopening of traffic on affected routes.
The official said the province has largely moved past the emergency phase of the recent floods, but vigilance will continue, especially in areas surrounding River Sutlej, where inflows from India earlier caused a sharp rise in water levels.
The PDMA has been issuing regular advisories for farmers and residents of low-lying areas, urging them to remain cautious despite the improvement in weather conditions.