LAHORE:
The authorities in Pakistan issued new flood alerts on Monday after India released a large volume of water in the Sutlej and Chenab rivers without prior notice, which increases the threat of a serious flood in multiple Punjab districts.
The authorities said that India overlooked the communication channels established in the Treaty of the Water of the Indo (IWT) and informed Islamabad only after liberation, through the high commission of India.
The Ministry of Water Resources of Pakistan confirmed high levels of flood in Harike Lower and fiercely fiercely in the Sutlej, with water flows that arise since the beginning of September 1.
The Provincial Authority of Disaster Management (PDMA) of Punjab warned that the waters of the floods of the Sutlej could affect nine districts: Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Bahawalnagar, Vehari, Lodhran, Bahawalpur, Fine and MUZAFFARGARH. They went to the attached commissioners in the areas that made immediate preparations.
The Sutlej River is experiencing an extraordinary flow of 253,068 Cusecs. Additional rainfall in the upper basins and the water releases from the dams can generate another flood wave of up to 300,000 CUSECs.
In Jassar, the Ravi River currently flows normally with 60,094 CUSECs. However, due to possible rain and water release from the dam, the flow in Jassar can increase to 150,000 CUSECs. Due to the possible rain, sudden floods are afraid on Ravi’s tributaries: Bein, Bansanter and Dek.
The Ravi River also rose to dangerous levels near Renala Khurd, where dozens of villages were cut. In the district of Khanewal, the waters of the floods of the Ravi and Chenab rivers submerged thousands of acres of crops, forcing mass evacuations.
In Burewala, a wave of 190,000 CUSECs continued to sweep through farmland, destroying cotton, rice, corn and sesame plantations. Several protective embankments collapsed, allowing the waters to extend to Sahuja. Simly Dam’s landfill also opened after the water level reached 2,314.90 feet.
In Marala, the Chenab River is currently at a low level with a flow of 94,728 CUSECs. The rains in Jammu and India illegally occupied Jammu & Cashmira (Iiojk), along with the water liberations from upside down, including salaral, Baglihar and Dulce Hasi, it is likely that it causes a strong increase in the flow.
The general director of the PDMA, Irfan Ali Kathia, said that India had released salary water, Nangal and Harike Barrages, sending a large wave downstream that could hit Marala in two days.
In Jhang, the Trimmu heads recorded flows of more than 550,000 cusecs, immersing dozens of villages and cutting road bonds. The floods flooded main routes, including Sargodha Road and Pirkot Masan Road, which led the road officials to display heavy machinery.
Punjab officials said that more than 500 roads and 60 bridges had been damaged throughout the province.
The provincial information minister, Azma Bukhari, described the situation as “extraordinary”, blaming the sudden release of water from India for aggravating the monsoon floods that are already underway. She said the rescue teams used by drones and thermal images had evacuated thousands and that help operations were ongoing.
Narowal residents reported dragged entire paths, isolating communities. In one case, a family returning from a funeral in Lahore was stranded after the only access road to its village was swept by the waters of floods. Farmers in several districts said the shortage of fodder had left their cattle at risk.
The authorities in Punjab and Sindh promised continuous relief and rehabilitation for displaced families. Bukhari urged political parties to reserve disputes and focus on the joint planning of river bed settlements and flood defenses, saying: “This is not the time of politics.”
The Department of Meteorology of Pakistan (PMD) predicted more rains until September 3 through Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Kashmir, warning more sudden floods, landslides and road closures in vulnerable areas. The PMD issued a red warning for heavy rains from September 1 to 3.
He warned that torrential downpours could trigger urban floods in low neighborhoods and sudden flood of the districts.
Similar conditions are expected in Jammu, Bhimber, Mirpur, Kotli, Punch, Haveli and adjacent areas, where heavy rains can also trigger land landslides and urban floods.
The vulnerable mountain terrain in the KP, Murree, Galliyat and Cashmiro face the risk of landslides and landslides that could lead to road closures, which leads officials to advise residents, travelers and tourists who stay away from dangerous locations and remain updated in weather alerts.
Meteorologists said the system is being fed by the currents of the monsors that move from the Bengal Bay and the Arabic Sea, along with a west disturbance that affects the higher regions of the country, which is expected to persist until Tuesday.
The generalized rain, the wind and the storms in Kashmir and the northeast of Punjab, with a dispersed activity in Islamabad and KP superior. It is likely that heavy rains are in parts of Kashmir, the northeast of Punjab, Islamabad and the upper KP, while the hot and dry weather prevails elsewhere.
During the last 24 hours, the scattered rain and the thunderstorms whipped to Upper KP, Kashmir, the northeast of Punjab, Islamabad and Gilgit-Baltistan, while the rest of the country remained hot and humid. Saidu Sharif recorded 26 mm of rain, Balakot 25, Malam Jabba 16, Garhi Dupatta 24, Kotli 8 and Kasur 9.
In Islamabad, Saidpur registered 10 mm, and Golra 4, while Nareowal reported 5 and Rawalpindi Chaklala 3, Chillas in Gilgit-Baltistan received 8 mm. Despite the generalized showers, parts of Baluchistan remained scorching, with Dalbandin registering the highest temperature to 43 Celsius, followed by 42 in Nokundi.
Punjab already faces one of the worst flood pressures in its history.
The general director of PDMA, Irfan Ali Kathia, said so far, more than 3,100 villages and 2,900 settlements have been flooded, which affected more than 2.4 million people. At least 41 people have lost their lives, with eight injured, while thousands of homes and vast sections of farmland have been destroyed.
The rescue agencies are carrying out the largest operation in their history, having evacuated more than 900,000 people to safe places, along with more than 600,000 cattle. The cattle department is providing fodder and food to displaced animals.
However, the ninth spell of the monsoon is expected to bring more rain in the next 48 hours, which could worsen the conditions in Nullah Leh of Rawalpindi and other low areas.
Meanwhile, the growing waters of the floods of the Sutlej River have reached the Frontera de Ganda Singh in Kasur, forcing the suspension of the traditional ceremony of the afternoon flag reduction ceremony carried out jointly by the Pakistan Punjab Rangers and the Border Security Force of India (BSF).
According to officials, the suspension will remain in place until the floods completely retreat.
They confirmed that the water that enters from Kasur has flooded parts of the border region, while on the Indian side, the low areas of the Ferozepur district are also being affected. The authorities on both sides have agreed to suspend the daily parade for security reasons until the situation is normalized.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) projected that a maximum flow of 1.3 million CUSECs could reach Sindh before September 5. Sindh’s prime minister Murad Ali Shah said his government is completely prepared to deal with a super flood, with arrangements to safely manage a flow of up to 900,000 Cusec.
However, he warned that 1.2 to 1.3 million water cusecs from India could reach Guddu bombing. Shah said that 550,000 Cusec had already passed safely through the Sukkur and Kotri barrels, adding that the barriers have the ability to resist flows of up to one million Cusecs.
With the entrance of our correspondent in Karachi
