Floodwaters from the Sutlej River are causing severe land erosion, endangering settlements near Bahawalpur. On Tuesday, September 2, 2025, Basti Mari Qasim Shah and Fatowali village near Bahawalpur faced severe land erosion from Sutlej River floodwaters, submerging agricultural land and prompting urgent calls for protective measures.
Bahawalpur land erosion highlights the escalating flood crisis in Punjab, threatening livelihoods and infrastructure in a key agricultural region, with broader implications for food security in Pakistan.
Bahawalpur Land Erosion Crisis
Residents of Basti Mari Qasim Shah faced Bahawalpur land erosion, a settlement on the outskirts of Bahawalpur city, reported that approximately 4 acres of land have already been eroded by the Sutlej River’s floodwaters as of Tuesday, September 2, 2025. The floodwaters are now just 8 acres away from the settlement, raising fears of complete submersion. Locals have urged authorities to deploy immediate measures, such as reinforcing embankments, to halt the advancing erosion within the next 48 hours.
Similarly, Fatowali village, located between Bahawalpur and Sammasatta railway station, is under threat from the same riverine erosion. Residents have appealed for heavy machinery to deploy sandbags and stones to protect the area from further damage. On the same day, a private dyke near Basti Bhinda, another suburban settlement, breached, flooding surrounding agricultural land. Fortunately, residents of Basti Bhinda had been evacuated to safer locations prior to the breach.
Regional Flood Impact
The Sutlej River’s high flood levels have wreaked havoc across Punjab. According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the river at Ganda Singh Wala recorded a flow of 253,000 cusecs on Monday, September 1, 2025, classified as an “exceptionally high flood.” The PDMA has issued alerts for nine districts, including Bahawalpur, Multan, and Muzaffargarh, warning of potential inundation. In Multan, the administration has increased the number of flood relief camps to 90 to accommodate the growing number of displaced people. After Multan, Bahawalpur land erosion is another issue for PDMA.
Senate Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani visited flood relief camps in Multan on Tuesday, September 2, 2025, including those at Shershah Girls High School and Buch Phatak. Speaking to the media, Gilani highlighted the critical need for dry fodder for livestock and medical supplies, including anti-diarrhea and antivenom medications. He noted a shortage of tents and pledged to address this with the administration. Gilani also called for a national policy to compensate flood-affected communities, particularly in the katcha (riverine) areas, and urged residents to relocate to safer zones as the flood peak was expected within 48 hours.
Agricultural and Livelihood Losses
The flooding and land erosion have caused significant agricultural damage. In Bahawalpur, flash floods following a breach of the Sutlej River impacted around 40 acres of standing crops—primarily cotton, maize, and other fields—near Baqirpur. Seasonal floods across southern Punjab have submerged thousands of acres and displaced millions, though precise district-level crop-loss data for Bahawalpur beyond the initial 40-acre figure is not yet available.
In nearby districts, the situation is equally dire. In Pakpattan, 26,000 acres of farmland have been destroyed, while Vehari reported over 100,000 affected residents. The PDMA has warned that a flood wave of up to 1 million cusecs could reach Head Panjnad between September 2 and 3, 2025, threatening further devastation.
Background
Punjab has faced recurrent flooding in recent years, with the 2022 floods causing widespread destruction. The current crisis, exacerbated by heavy monsoon rains and water releases from India, has affected over 3,300 villages in Punjab, with a death toll of 43 as of Tuesday, September 2, 2025. The Sutlej River, flowing through Bahawalpur, has seen unprecedented water levels, with flows at Head Islam reaching 70,000 cusecs and expected to intensify. Breaches in protective embankments, such as those in Chishtian and Burewala, have submerged hundreds of villages, displacing thousands and destroying crops.
What’s Next
With the flood peak expected in Bahawalpur within 48 hours, authorities are racing to reinforce dykes and evacuate vulnerable settlements. The ongoing Bahawalpur land erosion crisis underscores the urgent need for robust flood management and compensation policies to protect affected communities.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, September 3rd, 2025
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