• Breaches in Deg and Bherr nullahs erode bridge foundations• Trains bound for Karachi diverted via Sahiwal and Khanewal• Engineering teams waiting for water to recede before making repairs• Tarbela nears maximum capacity; PMD warns of continued flood risk in major rivers LAHORE: As the Ravi and Che­nab rivers continue to flow at med­ium and low flood levels, respectively, breaches in Nullah Deg and Bherr have wreaked havoc across the catchment area, eroding soil beneath railway bri­dges and forcing the suspension of rail traffic on the Lahore-Fais­alabad section via Shahdara and Sheikhupura. Flooding cau­sed breaches at 25 locations along the route. “Following the massive floodwater that caused erosion, isolating the railway line at two bridges — including a major bridge near Qila Sattar Shah on the Lahore-Shahdara-Sheikhupura-Faisal­abad section — we have been left with no option but to suspend all passenger and freight train operations,” Pakistan Railways Lah­ore Divisional Superi­nten­dent Inam-ullah Khan told Dawn. “It is all due to breaches in Deg and Bherr,” he said, adding that engineering teams would begin rehabilitation work on the damaged track as soon as floodwaters recede. Departures cancelled Pakistan Railways has cancelled all departures originating from Lahore to Faisalabad as well as Lahore-Karachi and Khanewal-Lahore trains via Faisalabad. Passengers holding confirmed reservations have been advised to obtain refunds from railway reservation offices. An official source said exceptionally heavy rainfall caused a nearby stream to overflow, sending a powerful surge of floodwater that washed away parts of the supporting infrastructure of the affected bridges. “Following an initial assessment of the damage, authorities suspended train operations on the Lahore-Faisalabad section as a precautionary measure to ensure passenger safety,” the official told Dawn. Trains being diverted The source said Karachi-bound trains that normally travel via Faisalabad would instead be diverted through Sahiwal and Khanewal, while services operating exclusively between Lahore and Faisalabad would remain suspended until the damaged track is restored. According to another railway official, the Karakoram Express and Shalimar Express will operate on alternative routes, bypassing Faisalabad. Both trains will run via Raiwind, Sahiwal and Khanewal until further notice. The Karachi-bound Karakoram Express (42-Down) will depart Lahore at its scheduled time of 3pm but will travel via Sahiwal instead of Faisalabad. Passengers travelling to Faisalabad will be accommodated on the Millat Express for onward travel. Similarly, the Karachi-bound Shalimar Express arriving in Lahore will also be diverted through Sahiwal. The Mianwali Express, which normally operates between Lahore and Sargodha, will be rerouted via Wazirabad and Lala Musa because of the disruption. Railway authorities also announced the cancellation of the Badr Express and Ghori Express, both of which operate between Lahore and Faisalabad. Passengers with confirmed reservations have been advised to claim full refunds from their nearest railway reservation office or the Lahore Reservation Office. Officials said the latest spell of heavy monsoon rains had disrupted railway operations on several routes originating from Lahore and Faisalabad, causing delays, diversions and cancellations. Engineering teams have been deployed to the damaged bridges, and restoration work will begin as soon as conditions permit, with authorities aiming to resume normal train services at the earliest. Passengers have been advised to remain in contact with railway reservation offices and inquiry centres for the latest information on train schedules, diversions and operational updates. The Met Office has forecast isolated rain, wind and thunderstorms over the upper catchments of all major rivers, Islamabad, Kashmir and parts of Punjab, including Lahore, as well as Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday. Flood situation While the Ravi was in medium flood at the Sidhnai Headworks in Khanewal district, the meteorological department’s Flood Forecasting Division (FFD) has warned the Indus at Guddu could rise to medium flood level. However, the Chenab River was flowing in low flood at the Khanki, Qadirabad and Trimmu headworks, said the FFD, in its report issued on Monday evening. The report said the Indus River was flowing in low flood at Tarbela, Kalabagh, Taunsa and Guddu, with a discharge of 323,884 cusecs recorded at Chacharan Sharif (Benazir Pul) in Rajanpur. Also, Sukkur was expected to experience low flood levels over the next 24 to 36 hours, it added. Tarbela dam rises 3ft in a day The torrential rain and flash floods have considerably increased the water level in the Tarbela dam reservoir to 1531.11 feet, leaving it merely 19 feet short of the maximum conservation mark. The Tarbela reservoir has maximum conservation level of 1,550 feet and minimum operating level of 1,402ft. During the past day, the level increased by 3 feet, according to the official figures collected on Monday morning. The inflow recorded was 262,300 cusecs and the total outflow was 181,300 cusecs, Irsa’s indent was 165,000 cusecs. The reservoir’s live storage, according to official statistics, was 4.513 MAF, representing 81pc storage capacity. Muhammad Sadaqat in Haripur also contributed to this report Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2026