LAHORE: The Sutlej, Chenab and Ravi rivers are surging to extremely dangerous levels as flood engulfed many villages across Punjab.
As per the Flood Forecasting Data, the water flow at Ganda Singh Wala headworks on the Sutlej River was 182,188 cusecs (steady trend) and was classified as “very high flood”.
Flood situation in Jalalpur Pirwala, one of the worst hit areas, intensified again after the Sutlej started rising and increased pressure on a major embankment.
Downstream, the flow was steady at 121,698 cusecs (high flood) at Sulemanki headworks and 121,010 (high flood) at Islam headworks, the data released at 11pm on Wednesday stated.
On the Ravi River, the water flow was normal at both Jassar and Shahdara headworks and was in low flood at Balloki. However, at Sidhnai headworks, the flow was categorised as “very high” at 94,556 cusecs (falling trend).
On the Chenab River, the flow at Panjnad was “very high” at 598,731 cusecs (rising) and “medium” at Trimmu at 231,154 cusecs (steady). The flow at other headworks on the river Marala, Khanki, Qadirabad and Chiniot was normal.
Meanwhile, Guddu Barrage recorded a brief spell of high flood on Wednesday morning before returning to medium flood levels by the afternoon, leaving officials puzzled as the anticipated peak has yet to arrive fully.
On the other hand, flooding caused severe damage in seven villages of Pakpattan, forcing thousands of people to evacuate.
Rescue teams continued boat operations for a second day, moving around 3,500 people and 250 animals to safer areas. Floodwater also destroyed rice and maize crops spread across hundreds of acres.
Indus River water levels surge at Punjnad Barrage
Punjab Chief Secretary Zahid Akhtar Zaman, on the orders of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, rushed to Alipur in Muzaffargarh as water levels surged in the Indus River at Punjnad Headworks. The inflow and outflow at the barrage rose to 668,195 cusecs.
Officials said the flood stream that struck central Punjab has now moved towards south Punjab and is heading into Sindh.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) reported that the monsoon season has weakened, and no major rise in Punjab’s rivers is expected. According to the PDMA Director General, rains in the upper catchment areas have ended, and Punjab’s tenth spell of monsoon rains has concluded.
The PDMA also said that heavy rainfall is not expected in the coming week, though high to very high flood levels remain in several rivers.
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