WEBDESK: The historic Kartarpur Gurdwara Darbar Sahib, one of the holiest sites in Sikhism, has been submerged in floodwater. The flooding occurred after India released hundreds of thousands of cusecs of water into rivers flowing towards Pakistan.
Floodwaters have submerged the entire Kartarpur area. Houses and farmland are under water.
Residents living near the rivers are being moved to safer places. Authorities have issued a red alert and warned people to stay away from riverbanks.
Flood Alert in Punjab:
The Indus Water Commissioner issued a flood warning after receiving information from the Indian High Commission.
According to the alert:
- The Sutlej River will face high flooding at Harike (lower) and Ferozepur (lower).
- The Ravi River will face high flooding at Madhopur (lower).
- The Chenab River will face high flooding at Akhnoor.
India has released 200,000 cusecs of water into the Ravi River. Heavy rains have already swollen the Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej rivers.
At Head Marala on the Chenab, the water level has reached an extremely high stage, with inflows recorded at 696,534 cusecs.
The Flood Forecasting Division in Lahore said the Sutlej River at Ganda Singh Wala is also at an extremely high level. The current flow is 245,236 cusecs and may rise to 280,000 cusecs in the next 12 hours.
Local reports confirm that floodwater has surrounded the outer walls of the shrine and submerged nearby areas. The gurdwara is a site of deep spiritual and cultural importance for the global Sikh community and is now at serious risk.
This has not only put the religious heritage at risk but has as well destroyed crops, damaged infrastructure and also left thousands of people displaced in Punjab.
Read more: Over 150,000 evacuated as India releases water into Punjab’s Sutlej, Ravi
