In the heart of Pakistan’s Punjab province, a record-breaking flood has upended daily life, forcing more than 850,000 people from their homes and prompting an unprecedented technological response. As relentless monsoon rains and cross-border water releases from neighboring India swelled rivers beyond their limits, the government turned to cutting-edge drone technology—deploying thermal imaging cameras in a desperate bid to locate and rescue those stranded by the rising waters.
According to the Associated Press, emergency workers used drones on September 1 and 2, 2025, to find people marooned on rooftops after the deluge inundated entire villages in Jhang and Multan districts. Residents, some wading through nearly 1.5-meter (5-foot) deep floodwaters, carried what belongings they could to higher ground, often waiting for rescuers who sometimes never arrived. Many, like 54-year-old Haleema Bibi, found themselves sheltering under the open sky, with little food or shelter. “We have been destroyed. Everything is gone in the flood,” she said, her voice echoing the despair of thousands left in similar circumstances.
The scale of the disaster is staggering. The Punjab Disaster Management Authority, led by director general Irfan Ali Kathia, reported that more than 850,000 people had been evacuated by September 2, 2025, with over 500,000 farm animals also relocated to safety. “We are handling an unprecedented situation, and we are responding to Punjab’s biggest-ever floods by using the latest technology and all available resources to save lives,” Kathia told The Associated Press. The government’s priority, he emphasized, is to save lives and ensure a steady supply of essential items to survivors.
This year’s monsoon season has been particularly brutal. The Pakistan Meteorological Department warned of more heavy rain in Punjab’s flood-hit districts and elsewhere in the country, as weeks of above-normal rainfall combined with the release of huge volumes of water from dams in India caused rivers to overflow into low-lying regions. Punjab, home to some 150 million people and the country’s main wheat-growing region, has received 26.5% more monsoon rainfall between July 1 and August 27 compared to the same period last year, according to official data. Nationwide, at least 854 people have died in rain-related incidents since late June, a grim reminder of the monsoon’s deadly potential.
The catastrophic flooding was made worse by India’s release of water from its swollen rivers and dams last week—a move that, while communicated in advance, marked the first public diplomatic contact between the rivals since a military crisis earlier this year. The Ravi, Chenab, and Sutlej rivers all rose simultaneously, inundating vast swaths of farmland and entire villages. Authorities in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province also braced for a possible “super flood” of the Indus River, warning that water levels could top 900,000 cubic feet per second.
But amid the devastation, a technological first emerged. On the directive of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, drone technology was used for the first time in Pakistan’s history to identify flood victims in the province. According to Business Recorder, thermal imaging drone cameras were deployed in flood-affected areas including Semi-Pul Bypass Sargodha Road and parts of Jhang, where five people and livestock trapped by floodwaters were located and rescued. The technology proved especially valuable in remote and difficult-to-access areas, such as the river belt zones of Chishtian and Bahawalnagar. By tracing the exact locations of those in need, rescue teams could intervene swiftly, safely evacuating both people and animals.
The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) played a pivotal role in this technological leap. As reported by UrduPoint, the PSCA intensified its flood monitoring and emergency response through the use of thermal imaging drone technology, ensuring real-time aerial surveillance across the province. These thermal drones were used not only to monitor water levels and identify vulnerable populations, but also to detect emerging threats and guide rescue teams to critical zones. In one recent operation, PSCA teams in Muzaffargarh used drone footage to locate and rescue individuals trapped in Mauza Doaba near the River Chenab. Over the course of six days, the authority received more than 1,500 flood-related calls on its Emergency Helpline 15, coordinating immediate rescue and relief operations in collaboration with district administrations in Muzaffargarh, Jhang, Bahawalnagar, Mianwali, Vehari, and other hard-hit areas.
Surveillance of rescue boats was also conducted to ensure the success of ongoing operations. The use of drone technology, officials noted, made it possible to easily identify both people and livestock submerged in floodwaters—an innovation that may well become a standard part of Pakistan’s disaster response toolkit.
Yet, for all the technological advances and large-scale evacuations, the human cost remains painfully clear. While authorities set up more than 1,000 relief camps in Punjab, government figures show that only about 36,550 of over 800,000 evacuees were housed there as of early September 2025. The vast majority remain scattered, many living in makeshift shelters or under open skies. Allah Ditta, a farmer from Jhang, described sleeping on plastic sheets and carts, waiting for help that often seemed slow to arrive. “Rescuers came once by boat, but no one has brought us supplies. We keep looking to the road, hoping someone will come with help,” he told the Associated Press.
Districts such as Narowal, Sialkot, and Kasur have also been swamped, with entire villages in Jhang and Multan submerged. The floods have claimed 33 lives in Punjab over a ten-day period—a lower toll than the catastrophic 2022 floods, but the widespread destruction of homes, crops, and livelihoods is already being felt acutely. The government’s rapid deployment of drones and use of emergency hotlines have undoubtedly saved lives, but the scale of displacement and the logistical challenges of providing shelter, food, and medical care to hundreds of thousands remain daunting.
Pakistan’s monsoon season typically lasts until the end of September, and with more rain forecast, the crisis may not be over yet. The government continues to urge citizens to report emergencies via Helpline 15, promising a swift response and the protection of human lives. As the waters slowly recede, the resilience of Punjab’s people—and the promise of new technologies—will be tested once again.
The story of this flood is one of tragedy and innovation, despair and hope. While the full toll on communities and the agricultural heartland will take time to assess, the rapid adoption of drone technology has offered a glimpse into the future of disaster response in Pakistan. For now, the focus remains on saving lives and restoring some sense of normalcy to a province battered by nature’s fury.