HYDERABAD: The Kotri medium flood gripped Sindh and Punjab on Monday, September 29, 2025, at 4:35 PM, with barrage inflows holding at 406,615 cusecs. This situation displaced thousands and inundated over 200 villages. Officials from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and irrigation departments coordinated rescues. The event stemmed from monsoon swells peaking last week.
Why This Matters
The Kotri medium flood underscores Pakistan’s vulnerability to climate-driven deluges. The Indus River basin supports 60 per cent of the nation’s agriculture, irrigating 16 million hectares. Disruptions here ripple across South Asia, hiking food prices in India and Bangladesh via trade links. In 2022 floods, damages topped PKR 3.3 trillion. This year’s event threatens similar economic strain, hitting cotton and rice yields key to regional exports. Governments must bolster barrage infrastructure to shield 200 million basin dwellers.
Current Situation at Kotri Barrage
The Kotri barrage medium flood persists September 2025 despite a slight drop in levels. On Sunday, upstream flows stood at 387,808 cusecs, with 362,253 cusecs released downstream. Authorities diverted 25,555 cusecs to four canals: KB Feeder, Old Phuleli, New Phuleli, and Akram. This allocation sustained irrigation amid the crisis.
Irrigation officials reported the barrage passed its peak of 420,565 cusecs on Friday, September 27. Yet the Kotri medium flood held steady into Monday. Inflow eased to 412,965 cusecs upstream by Saturday noon, releasing 386,650 cusecs. The medium flood stage, defined at 350,000 cusecs, triggered alerts for low-lying zones.
NDMA data showed Guddu and Sukkur barrages normalised earlier. Guddu handled 160,175 cusecs, Sukkur 133,070 cusecs. Pressure shifted south to Kotri, where the Kotri barrage medium flood persists September 2025. Meteorologists forecast light showers in Hyderabad and Dadu until September 30. These could swell tributaries, complicating efforts.
Rescue teams from 1122 Shaheed Benazirabad evacuated families from Ali Khan Mari village. Workers moved livestock and goods to higher ground. High water pressed bunds at Nasri, Lakhhat, Mid Bangli, and Amri Bridge. Engineers reinforced these sites with sandbags.
Impacts in Sindh and Punjab
The Kotri medium flood devastated rural pockets. In Sindh, Hyderabad and Dadu districts faced inundation. Farmers lost standing crops worth millions. Roads to Thatta and Badin turned impassable. The Multan-Sukkur Motorway (M5) stayed shut for 15 days between Uch Sharif and Jalalpur Pirwala. Breaches flooded supply routes, stranding trucks.
Punjab bore the brunt upstream. Over 200 villages in Multan, Bahawalpur, and Lodhran submerged under 8 to 10 feet of water. Noraja Bhutta, Basti Lang, and nearby hamlets saw homes collapse. Stagnant pools bred mosquitoes, raising disease fears. The Sutlej River contributed via seven breaches at Noraja Bhutta embankment.
H2: Kotri Barrage Medium Flood Persists September 2025 in Punjab
Punjab Irrigation Minister Kazim Ali Pirzada inspected sites. His team plugged three of seven breaches fully. Work targeted two more by evening. The largest gap, 3,300 feet wide, shrank to 1,650 feet. “The water level in the area is gradually receding,” Pirzada said. He set October 4 as deadline to seal all gaps.
Multan Deputy Commissioner Waseem Hamid Sindhu launched rehabilitation. Dry rations reached 5,000 families. China donated 300 tents and 9,000 blankets, airlifted on September 29. Volunteers distributed kits in Basti Lang. Yet, 10,000 people remained displaced. Schools in Lodhran closed for a week.
In Sindh, the Kotri medium flood hit fishing communities hardest. Nets tangled in debris, halting catches. Badin markets reported 40 per cent price hikes for essentials. Women-led groups in Dadu boiled water to curb cholera risks.
Official Responses and Data
NDMA issued advisories on September 25. “Kotri Barrage is experiencing a medium-level flood with river flows around 400,000 cusecs, expected to persist through the end of September,” the agency stated. It urged districts to avoid travel near rivers. Monitoring continued 24/7 at the National Emergencies Operation Centre (NEOC).
Radio Pakistan reported on September 28 that levels began dropping post-peak over 402,000 cusecs. Upstream hit 412,000 cusecs, downstream 386,000 cusecs. The outlet stressed cooperation with rescuers.
Irrigation authorities in Sindh tracked pond levels. They reduced pre-flood storage to accommodate swells from Sukkur.
Business Recorder noted on September 29 the inflow at 406,615 cusecs. Officials called for vigilance in low-lying areas. Hot, humid weather with thunderstorms loomed, per the Met Office.
NEOC data from September 24 pegged Kotri at moderate flood with 400,000 cusecs. Flows built from 271,000 cusecs mid-month. Peak at Guddu reached 635,759 cusecs on September 16, Sukkur 571,800 cusecs next day.
Background
Pakistan’s barrages trace to colonial eras. Kotri, built in 1955, spans the Indus near Hyderabad. It irrigates 1.5 million hectares via 14 canals. Design handles 900,000 cusecs, but silting cuts capacity. Monsoons from July swell the river yearly. In 2010, floods killed 1,800; 2022 displaced 33 million.
This season’s rains, 30 per cent above normal, triggered the surge. Glacial melts in the north fed the Indus. Climate models predict worse in coming decades for South Asia.
What’s Next
A technical review convenes on October 6. Experts will assess embankment repairs. Punjab aims to reopen M5 by mid-October. NDMA plans winter aid for 50,000 households. If rains ease, the Kotri medium flood could recede by October 5. Barrage operators eye normal flows of 150,000 cusecs. Long-term, PKR 500 million funds desilting at Kotri. The Kotri medium flood highlights needs for resilient infrastructure.
Relief teams stand ready. Farmers eye insurance claims. As the Kotri barrage medium flood persists September 2025, vigilance remains key to averting deeper losses.
Published in SouthAsianDesk, September 29th, 2025
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