Islamabad:
Pakistan can face potential floods if Indian releases water to rivers that flow through the border, the Pakistan’s department of meteorology (PMD) warned Tuesday, in the midst of consecutive monzón spell forecasts and a higher risk of flooding of the glacial lake (GLOF) this month.
The general director of PMD, MAHR Sahibzad Khan, said that while most rivers in Pakistan remain stable, the Chenab River faces a possible threat of flooding. The Ravi River said, it is currently safe due to the storage available in the Indian dams.
“There is no threat of flooding in the Jhelum and Sutlej rivers today, but Chenab is at risk,” Khan told Express PAkGazette. “Floods could occur if India releases excess water. However, our dams currently have sufficient capacity to handle inputs.”
Khan added that the ongoing monsoon spell would continue until Friday, July 25, followed by another wet spell at the end of the month. He warned that persistent rain, especially in the areas of the north, could increase flood risks.
“The rain is improving the levels of the dam, but the threat remains. Another meteorological system is expected at the end of this month, which can bring a more intense rain,” he warned.
Despite its minimum contribution to global carbon emissions, Pakistan remains one of the countries most vulnerable to climate change. Khan attributed the growing unpredictability of the climate, clouds and glacial fusion to global climatic changes.
“Pakistan’s contribution to air pollution is insignificant, however, we are among the most affected by climate change,” he said. “The extreme rain and rapid melting of the glacier are creating dangerous conditions.”
When addressing the recent floods in the village of Islamabad and Chakwal, Khan clarified that these were not Cloudburst events.
“A bubble of clouds is defined by more than 100 mm of rain in one hour. In Saidpur, a heavy rain lasted for 24 hours,” he explained. “The flood was aggravated by illegal constructions that block the natural drainage channels.”
“Pakistan’s contribution to air pollution is insignificant, however, we are among the most affected by climate change,” he said. “The extreme rain and rapid melting of the glacier are creating dangerous conditions.”
Glof alert
The MET office has issued a high level warning for the flood floods of the glacial lakes in Gilgit-Baltist (GB) and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP), where the rapid glacier melts and the heavy rains threaten to unleash sudden floods.
“The glacial fusion combined with intense rain can cause sudden waves of rivers and floods in low areas,” said the department of MET in its daily report. He advised all relevant disaster management authorities that remain in maximum alert.
