FLASH FLOODS: Rescuers help stranded motorists after heavy monsoon rains flooded roads in Landi Kotal, Khyber district. PHOTO: PPI
PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD:
Water levels rose in Pakistan’s major rivers on Monday as heavy monsoon rains increased flows and authorities said spillway releases upstream of Indian dams increased inflows, prompting new flood alerts, the operation of Tarbela Dam spillways and increased monitoring of the river system.
According to official figures, the combined flow of the rivers throughout the country reached 454,000 cusecs.
The Chenab river was carrying around 130,000 cusecs, while the Indus recorded flows of 232,000 cusecs at Tarbela, 243,000 cusecs at Kalabagh, 247,000 cusecs at Chashma, 210,000 cusecs at Taunsa, 164,000 cusecs at Guddu and 110,000 cusecs. cusecs in Sukkur Barrage.
The water flow in the Jhelum river also increased, with 57,000 cusecs recorded in the Mangla dam.
Authorities attributed the rising river level to widespread monsoon rains and the opening of spillways at dams upstream in India. Total water storage in the country’s reservoirs amounted to 6.1 million acre-feet.
In addition, authorities also warned that an intense heat wave in Skardu and other northern areas, where temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius, had accelerated the melting of snow and glaciers, increasing the risk of flooding due to overflowing glacial lakes.
To manage the inflows, the authorities operated the spillways of the Tarbela Dam and decided to keep the reservoir at the maximum possible vacant capacity to accommodate the flood waters arriving from the northern basins.
The spillways, which opened on Sunday at four in the afternoon, were to close on Monday at noon.
Meanwhile, according to the Flood Forecast Division’s 6am update, low-level flooding persisted at Head Khanki and Head Qadirabad on the Chenab River, while flow rates in the Indus, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlej and Kabul rivers remained within normal limits at major gauging stations.
The division said the water level of Tarbela Dam stood at 1,506.01 feet, representing 58% of its storage capacity compared to 80% on the same day last year. The Mangla Dam level was recorded at 1,175.85 feet, or 40% of its capacity, compared to 50% a year earlier.
During the previous 24 hours, the highest flows were recorded in the Chenab River, where Head Marala received 178,467 cusecs, Head Khanki 169,146 cusecs and Head Qadirabad 157,156 cusecs, all at medium flood level. The Jhelum river in Mangla recorded a flow of 70,000 cusecs.
The Flood Forecasting Division warned that medium to high flooding could occur at Head Marala, Head Khanki and Head Qadirabad during the next 24 hours, while low to medium flooding was expected at Mangla in Jhelum. Low level flooding was also forecast at Tarbela, Kalabagh and Chashma on the Indus.
Water levels also rose at Deg Nullah at the Kingra Bridge over the Ravi River where flows reached 10,193 cusecs, placing the stream at low flood level.
Later in the day, officials reported that inflows into Head Marala had reached 110,355 cusecs, while outflows amounted to 88,082 cusecs, indicating low-level flooding. In Mangla, inflows into the Jhelum rose sharply to 133,000 cusecs, causing medium flooding, although downstream discharges remained within normal limits.
Damaged
Meanwhile, the deteriorating weather also claimed lives in different parts of the country.
In Khyber district, three people died after being swept away by flash floods triggered by torrential rains in Landi Kotal.
A Rescue 1122 spokesperson said the death toll rose to three after rescue teams recovered the bodies of a woman, a man and a child. The woman and man were found in Jabba Khwar area in Jamrud, while the boy’s body was recovered in Parang Sam with the help of local residents.
According to the spokesperson, Rescue 1122 divers and local volunteers carried out a joint search operation before handing over the bodies to the relevant authorities for legal procedures. The rescue service urged the public to avoid rivers, streams and seasonal waterways during heavy rain and to immediately call 1122 in an emergency.
The floods occurred after torrential rains in Landi Kotal and other upper parts of Khyber district, where seasonal flooding of streams swept away several vehicles. Authorities said no other victims had been reported.
Meanwhile, heavy rain also lashed Peshawar and Nowshera, dropping temperatures significantly after days of hot and humid weather.
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, three members of a family were killed and two others injured after a rain-triggered landslide hit a house in Hatli Bala village in Nikyal tehsil of Kotli district.
Authorities said a mother, her daughter and her son were killed when the hillside collapsed on top of the home. Their bodies were recovered from the rubble and buried, while the injured were shifted to the Central Tehsil Hospital. A loaded truck was also swept away by floodwaters in the area.
Heavy rain and a downpour also caused widespread destruction in the Neelum Valley, damaging infrastructure and disrupting normal life.
Elsewhere, torrential rains continued to lash the Hazara Division, causing streams and seasonal nullahs to overflow, triggering landslides and blocking several roads.
In Abbottabad, heavy monsoon rains severely disrupted daily life. Flooding at Tarnawai Nullah cut a link road at Reala, halting traffic as there is no bridge at the junction. Hundreds of trucks carrying phosphate were stranded on both sides of the flooded road.
Intermittent rains also continued in Balakot and Kaghan Valley, where flash floods forced the temporary closure of the road leading to Saif-ul-Muluk Lake and another road in Sahuch. Machinery belonging to the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) and the National Highways Authority (NHA) were deployed to clear the debris and restore traffic, while several tourist vehicles and jeeps remained stranded.
In Haripur, heavy rain flooded low-lying areas after local waterways overflowed. Deputy Commissioner Haripur said residents living near streams had been shifted to safer places.
The increased flow in the Indus also filled the Tarbela Dam, prompting authorities to operate its spillways to release excess water.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from rivers, streams and flood-prone areas and follow official warnings as the current monsoon system continues to affect northern parts of the country.
