Christians Plead For Help As Deadly Floods Devastate Pakistan And Indonesia

by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent

JAKARTA/ISLAMABAD (Worthy News) – Christians in Pakistan’s flood-hit Punjab province were among those struggling to survive Thursday, while in Indonesia, at least 19 people were confirmed dead after flash floods struck the tourist island of Bali and other regions as deadly monsoon waters swept across parts of South Asia.

Pakistani evangelist Suneeta Anwar P., 30, told Worthy News she desperately tries to protect 42 children linked to her Bible study group and food program. “Some children live in our house, and some come daily. My husband and I have two children — our daughter is 4 years old and my son is 1 year old,” she explained.

Her village of Amrat Nagr, officially Chak 133/16-L, lies about 70 kilometers (43 miles) east of the city of Multan. It was on alert as rising waters at the nearby Sidhnai Headworks on the Ravi River placed Khanewal district among Punjab’s high-risk flood zones.

The Sidhnai Headworks, a century-old irrigation and flood-control structure, diverts river water into canals that irrigate farms across Punjab. When water levels rise, the surrounding villages are warned of possible flooding.

“We were sleeping at night when water came. When we woke up in the morning, the road outside our house was filled with water,” Anwar recalled. “We really need help, because food for children is over, and we are waiting for help. We want to shift children to a dry place.”

Authorities said dozens of surrounding communities were already submerged as the Ravi, Sutlej, and Chenab rivers reached very high to exceptional levels, destroying farmlands and washing away homes.

“There is a huge water storm in Pakistan; many people have drowned here in the region,” Anwar added.

SCORES KILLED

Officials confirmed that around 60 people have died in Punjab, while 2.2 million people have been displaced across the province since late August. At least 122,000 residents were evacuated from central Pakistan in recent days, some overnight, and another 100,000 people were moved from low-lying Sindh Province as authorities warned of further flooding downstream, officials said.

Outside Pakistan, in Indonesia, torrential rains beginning Monday triggered landslides and floods that tore through Bali and East Nusa Tenggara province. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) confirmed at least 19 deaths, most of them on Bali, with more than 500 people displaced to schools and mosques.

“Most deaths occurred when people were swept away after rivers burst their banks,” said BNPB spokesperson Abdul Muhari, adding that two people remain missing.

Footage shared by residents in Bali with Worthy News showed flooded homes and people moving to higher ground.

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto ordered emergency operations to speed up rescue efforts, locate missing people, and provide food and supplies to survivors.

Bali’s capital, Denpasar, declared a state of emergency after neighborhoods, roads, and tourist sites were inundated. More than 600 rescue personnel were deployed to clear debris and search for victims, authorities announced.

River levels were receding by Thursday, but mudslides and widespread destruction left residents facing a massive cleanup.

Back in Pakistan, Anwar P. emphasized that her faith in Christ remains strong despite the hardships. She suggested that children in her ministry can already testify that even in these hardships, “Jesus loves me with everlasting love.”

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