Lahore: Residents of Farukhabad and Shafiqabad, neighborhoods near Shahdara along the River Ravi, have begun returning to their flood-ravaged homes, only to find rooms filled with thick river mud and most of their belongings destroyed, The Express Tribune (TET) reported Wednesday.
Families are struggling to clear the damage without proper equipment or resources. Many have lost nearly everything—furniture, bedding, and daily essentials have been ruined beyond repair. Particularly devastating are the losses for families who had been preparing for their daughters’ weddings; years of carefully collected dowries were swept away by the floods, TET noted.
Residents said they now sit amid the wreckage, waiting desperately for aid. “We cannot live in these houses because of the mud and destruction. Our daughters’ dowries are gone, and we have no means to rebuild,” one resident said, appealing for immediate assistance.
The floods have caused widespread devastation across Punjab, destroying homes and livelihoods. In Shahdara, many houses near the Ravi River have suffered severe structural damage, including collapsed walls and weakened roofs, rendering them unsafe. Several families will need to rebuild entirely before returning.
Residents also complained that they have been left to clear the thick mud themselves, with no government machinery or equipment available. They urged authorities to provide financial relief and reconstruction support, warning that without urgent intervention, hundreds of families may face prolonged displacement.
Punjab’s flood-hit regions are also confronting a surge in waterborne illnesses. Doctors and aid workers have reported rising cases of diarrhoea, skin infections, and dengue fever, compounding the hardship of already vulnerable families, TET reported.








