Are flood-hit housing society homes still safe to live in?

KARACHI: Residents of Lahore’s housing societies say that when they bought plots or houses there, they never imagined that the long-dry Ravi river could surge with such force that it would drown their homes.

“We invested all our savings in building these houses. With the money I received after retirement, I bought a plot worth millions and built a home… all of it is now under water. I don’t even know if this house will still be livable,” said one of the residents whose home was submerged after recent flooding in Lahore’s River Ravi.

In Park View City, several areas remain under multiple feet of water.

Earlier, real estate tycoon and politician Aleem Khan defended his housing society, Park View City, after it came under severe criticism when recent floods left the scheme submerged.

In a video message posted on his official Facebook, he rejected allegations that Park View City Lahore was built on encroached or illegally acquired land, insisting that the project was launched on privately purchased property with all necessary no-objection certificates (NOCs).

The victims are grieving the loss of their belongings but are equally worried about whether their homes will remain habitable.

‘Houses built on riverbeds have weak foundations’

Construction experts say that the soil condition is crucial when designing housing schemes. Unfortunately, the societies now under water were built on the river’s course.

Engineer Dewan Safwan told the BBC Urdu that the land around rivers is sandy. While developing schemes, flow patterns must be considered to keep water away —“but in this case, the societies were built directly in the river’s path.”

He explained that if three to four feet of water remains for days, it shakes a house’s foundations, weakens its structure, and causes cracks in the walls.

“Cracks in the upper parts of a house may be repairable,” he said, adding “but repairing damaged foundations is very costly — and sometimes impossible.”

“Even if foundations remain intact, floodwater seeps into cement and gravel, leading to dampness and salinity problems in the walls.”

Will these houses remain livable?

According to Safwan, this depends on the degree of “land settlement”. He said that experts must assess whether only houses cracked or if the entire structure and surrounding roads sank.

“If the society’s overall level has shifted and foundations are damaged, experts advise against rebuilding there,” he said.

“But if the cracks are minor and land settlement is minimal, repairs are possible —though expensive. Still, before repairing, we must ensure there’s no risk of future floods. Otherwise, the same danger will persist,” he said.

Notably, there is no permanent embankment along River Ravi near Park View City and others. When the flood hit, the management attempted temporary embankments, but they collapsed.

‘Strict construction rules were set for homes’

Shoaib Siddiqui, a senior official of Park View City, said that steps would be taken to ensure floodwaters never enter the society again.

He claimed the Overseas Block was protected by an embankment, though residents insist it too was flooded. He said that water has already been drained from some affected blocks and that inspections showed only minor cracks.

On whether these blocks remain livable, Siddiqui said construction rules required homes to be built on reinforced concrete foundations: “The administration has already promised to repair any damaged homes.”

‘What if floods return next year?’

The issue has sparked debate on social media, with users questioning the safety of such societies.

Dr Iram asked how people could continue living there if floods return next year.

Fayyaz Shah commented that regardless of structural strength, the stench of floodwater and dampness would linger for a long time.

Another user, Usama Khan, said if houses were built with strong foundations while accounting for riverbed soil, they might not face serious issues.

Earlier, the Indian High Commission formally notified Pakistan about potential flooding in the Sutlej, Ravi, and Chenab rivers, according to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

The Indian side communicated through the Indus Waters Commission, notifying that a significant flood relay is expected to pass through these rivers due to increased water discharge.