Flood alert issued as India releases water into Ravi, Chenab rivers

A flood alert has been issued for Ravi and Chenab rivers after the release of water by India.

The district administration is on alert at the banks of the Chenab and Ravi rivers to deal with any emergency.

India has released 180,000 cusecs of water into Auj, a tributary of River Ravi, and 150,000 cusecs of water into Tawi, a tributary of Chenab River.

The release of water by India and torrential rains have increased the chances of flood in these two rivers to reach a high level.

In Narowal, a water current of 30,000 cusecs passed through Nullah Dek the other day, inundating hundreds of acres of paddy crops.

The water entered the fields due to the absence of an embankment at the point of Deoli. According to the district administration, all institutions are on alert.

In Burewala, an eight-year-old boy was swept away by a current of floodwater from the Sutlej River in Mauza Jodeka of Jamlera Patan.

Dozens of settlements including Sahoka, Basti Bhattian, Murad Ali, Basti Miren Shah, Mauza Saldera, and Basti Kai were flooded following the occurrence of a breach in an embankment. The locals were being shifted to safe places.

In Arifwala, the flood situation is getting worse as a breach is feared in the Dhola embankment due to the increase in the water level.

Many settlements were evacuated as crops on a large scale were destroyed. The flood-hit people were faced with a shortage of clean drinking water and food.

According to the Flood Forecasting Division of the Meteorological Department, the Chenab River at Qadirabad, the Jhelum River at Mangala and the Ravi River at Jasar are in a moderate flood.

The Indus River at Tarbela, the Kabul River at Nowshera and the Ravi River at Balloki are in a low-level flood. Elsewhere, all rivers are flowing below flood level. The Jhelum River may experience moderate to high-level flooding in Upper Mangala.

During the next 24 hours, there is a possibility of moderate to high-level flooding in the Chenab River at Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad and in the nullahs of the Chenab and Ravi rivers and the mountain streams in DG Khan division.

In Wazirabad, there is a high-level flood at Head Qadirabad in the Chenab River. The inflow of water at Khanki and Qadirabad barrages has exceeded 200,000 cusecs. At Head Marala, the inflow of water is 138,000 cusecs while the outflow is 130,000 cusecs.

The inflow of water at Khanki Barrage in Chenab River was more than 200,000 cusecs while the outflow was recorded at 197,000 cusecs.

In the Chenab River, the inflow of water at Head Qadirabad is 200,000 while the outflow is 184,000 cusecs. The increase in the inflow of water at Head Qadirabad in the Chenab River is continuously being monitored.

In Hafizabad, the inflow of water at Marala in the Chenab River was recorded at 210,000 cusecs and the outflow at 192,000 cusecs.

At Khanki, the water inflow is 186,000 cusecs while the outflow is 178,000 cusecs.

Six flood relief centres, an emergency control room and 12 boating points have also been established across the Hafizabad district.

 

Reporters: Kashif Chaudhry and Shahzad Ahmad