Pakistan Floods Submerge Sikh Holy Site as Dam Breached

On August 27th, 2025, Pakistan faced a severe monsoon crisis as floodwaters from three major rivers - the Chenab, Ravi, and Sutlej - reached exceptionally high levels. In a last-ditch effort to protect a dam, authorities made the difficult decision to carry out a controlled explosion of an embankment, causing the Kartarpur temple, a highly significant Sikh pilgrimage site, to be submerged.

The temple, where the founder of the Sikh faith Guru Nanak died in 1539, was left stranded as floodwaters rose. Emergency responders were dispatched to the area, with five boats sent to rescue around 100 people who had become trapped at the sprawling site near the India-Pakistan border.

Across Punjab province, home to nearly half of Pakistan's 255 million people, the army was deployed to assist in the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents and livestock threatened by the surging waters. Disaster management authorities issued urgent alerts, advising those living near the affected rivers to immediately seek safer ground.

Pakistan's government has accused neighboring India of exacerbating the crisis by releasing water from upstream dams, further increasing the volume of water flowing into the country. However, Indian officials have not yet commented on the situation.

The devastating monsoon season has already claimed over 800 lives in Pakistan since June, with landslides and floods causing widespread destruction. As the flood surge continues, the country faces a daunting recovery effort in the days and weeks ahead.