Traffic suspended on M-5 Motorway: Here’s why!

ISLAMABAD: A section of the Multan-Sukkur M-5 motorway near Jalalpur Peerwala has been swept away by rising floodwaters, prompting authorities to suspend all traffic on the affected route.

Police officials said a crack in the Uch Sharif Road triggered a powerful current, causing severe damage to the motorway. The National Highway Authority (NHA) began emergency repair work on a nearby bridge but the high water level made the area unsafe, halting operations.

The collapse disrupted travel between southern Punjab and Sindh, with commuters advised to use alternative routes until conditions improve. Officials confirmed that repair work would resume once the water level recedes.

Meanwhile, flood-relief embankments around Jalalpur city are under severe pressure. The water level is gradually receding, slightly reducing the threat to the city. In Shujaabad, areas previously submerged by the Chenab River have started drying up, bringing relief to affected residents.

The breach has submerged dozens of nearby villages, displaced families and destroyed crops and property. Rescue teams are carrying out mass evacuations, while relief operations are underway to provide food, shelter and medical assistance to the affected populations.

Although an official damage estimate has not been released, locals fear extensive damage to homes and farmland. Disaster management teams are on high alert as water levels are expected to fluctuate in the coming days.

Experts say the incident highlights the vulnerability of critical infrastructure in southern Punjab to seasonal flooding and the urgent need for long-term precautionary measures.