Sidhnai Headworks embankment may be breached tonight, warns Kathia

With more rain predicted and flood levels continuing to rise, officials caution that the next few hours are crucial.

02 September 2025
Sidhnai Headworks embankment may be breached tonight, warns Kathia

The Director General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), Irfan Ali Kathia, has issued an urgent warning that the embankment at Sidhnai Headworks in Punjab is in grave danger of breaching tonight due to increasing pressure from floodwaters.

Authorities are keeping a close eye on the situation, and if water levels keep rising, the breach could occur at any time. At the moment, water flows significantly surpass the 150,000 cusec design capacity of Sidhnai Headworks, a crucial irrigation point on the Ravi River.

Nearly 17,000 acres of nearby farmland could be flooded by the possible breach, endangering neighboring villages and forcing hundreds of families to relocate.

Read More: India alerts Pakistan of Sutlej flood risk as Punjab faces rising waters

With Punjab already suffering from floodwaters fueled by the Sutlej, Chenab, and Ravi rivers, this worrying situation occurs during one of the worst monsoon seasons in recent memory. The threat level is still high throughout the province, and dozens of communities have been impacted.

The local government is on high alert, and emergency personnel have been sent out. Residents in low-lying areas have been advised to evacuate immediately and to seek safer ground.

With more rain predicted and flood levels continuing to rise, officials caution that the next few hours are crucial. Given the increasing risk of a serious humanitarian crisis in the area, the government is working with disaster response organizations to reduce damage and save lives.