Punjab deploys thermal drone tech to track flood victims

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said the provincial administration is using thermal imaging drone technology to monitor flood-hit areas and locate residents and livestock trapped in rising waters.

In a post on X, she shared a clip from a thermal drone feed, showing people and animals stranded as the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers continue to swell, inundating towns and villages across Punjab.

“Since most of Punjab is now under CCTV coverage, thermal imaging drone technology was deployed to spot and track stranded citizens and livestock in multiple districts, including Sialkot, Sargodha, Gujrat, and Jhang,” she wrote.

According to the chief minister, the Safe City Authority successfully coordinated over 800 rescue cases, helping emergency teams swiftly reach marooned residents.

Since most of the Punjab is now CCTV monitored, thermal imaging drone technology was used to spot & track stranded citizens and livestock in many districts including Sialkot, Sargodha, Gujrat & Jhang. 800 cases were successfully coordinated. Well done Safe City Authority. pic.twitter.com/K682qo7ofR

— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) August 28, 2025

Flooding has turned entire towns and villages into rivers, sweeping away homes and cutting off roads. In some places, people have taken shelter on rooftops of submerged houses, while others wade through waist-deep waters carrying their last belongings.

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Widespread flooding has engulfed areas including Wazirabad, Kasur, Narowal, Hafizabad, Kamalia, Mandi Bahauddin, Bahawalnagar, Sialkot, Sargodha, Vehari, and Pakpattan. Temporary embankments have collapsed in several locations, further worsening the situation.

In Faisalabad’s Tandlianwala, rising water in the Ravi has forced authorities to evacuate residents from low-lying areas. The district administration and emergency services remain on high alert.

Meanwhile, water levels in the Chenab continue to climb, with the flow at Chiniot Bridge recorded at 830,100 cusecs. The Ravi has also reached dangerously high levels at Shahdara, submerging Farrukhabad, Aziz Colony, Amin Park, Afghan Colony, Shafiqabad, and Maridwala.