The flight operations at the Sialkot airport have been halted from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. during the extreme flooding situation, the airport spokesperson confirmed on Wednesday. A notice to airmen has been issued to inform airlines and relevant authorities.
According to the spokesperson, floodwaters from the southern side breached a protective embankment and entered a certain part of the airport premises; however, the runway, terminal building, and the parking area remain safe.
“All equipment at the airport is secure, and all available machinery and staff have been mobilised to manage the situation,” the spokesperson said.
Earlier, the district authorities had declared a public holiday as flooding intensified in Gujarat and Sialkot districts of Punjab. Heavy inflows from India into the Sutlej and Chenab rivers have triggered a flood alert across Punjab.
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The National Disaster Management Authority Emergency Operations Center issued an urgent warning of extraordinary flooding in the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej rivers, urging immediate evacuation of residents in the surrounding areas. According to the NDMA Chairman, Lt. Gen. Inam Haider, more than 1,90,000 people have been evacuated from the flood-affected areas in Punjab; however, the water level continues to rise at an extreme pace in these rivers, which continues to threaten the lives and property.
The Pakistan Army has been called in to many districts in Punjab for rescue and relief efforts of the flood victims. As per the latest details, the water level is rising in Pakistani rivers as India opened all gates of the dam on the river Ravi.
The flood is expected to hit the southern Punjab and Sindh as well in coming days. Meanwhile, the Kartarpur Gurdwara in the Kartarpur area has been submerged with flood waters on Tuesday and Wednesday, August 27, 2025. The flood has also inundated homes, fields, and even the revered Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur. Images and videos circulating on social media show the shrine surrounded by floodwaters. Floodwaters have stranded more than 100 staff members of the Kartarpur Project Management Unit.