Daily Times

The administration has put Punjab on high alert as India releases floodwater in River Ravi on Tuesday.

A major flood is anticipated in the River Ravi due to a flash flood that is moving at a great rate and measuring 175,000 cusecs in volume.

According to latest information, India released 171,797 cusecs water from Ujh Barrage at 1530 PST on Monday. Keeping in view the releases from Ujh Barrage, inflows are likely to increase in River Ravi at Jassar ranging between 70,000 cusecs to 100,000 cusecs, touching the mark of medium to high flood level during the period from 0000 PST of 16-08-2022 to 1200 PST of 16-08-2022.

Flooding has been warned about to the Punjab irrigation department, the local authorities, and residents living in communities dotted along the river bank.

To examine the rain/flood situation in the province, an urgent meeting was conducted on Tuesday with the chief secretary of Punjab serving as the chair.

The group was advised that up to 600,000 people could be impacted by the flood should it occur in the area.

Meanwhile, the Metrological Department on Tuesday warned that heavy rains may generate urban flooding in Rawalpindi/Islamabad, Peshawar, Nowshera, Mardan, Faisalabad, Lahore and Gujranwala on 15th and 16th August.

The water level in the Chenab river near Wazirabad has increased again due to recent rains. Last night, the water discharge at Marala Headworks in Chenab river was 178,500 cusecs while water flow near Wazirabad was 195,950 cusecs. Water inflow in Chenab River at Qadirabad headworks was 79,962 cusecs while outflow is 60,962 cusecs. A flood warning to the adjacent areas of Wazirabad had been issued.

Meanwhile, the flood torrents coming from Taunsa area in Kot Addu have also wreaked havoc and people have started shifting their belongings.

The floodwater coming from the Suleman Mountains caused destruction in Taunsa, Kot Chutta of Dera Ghazi Khan, adjoining tribal areas, and Rajanpur. These areas were severely affected while many houses collapsed, so many people drowned, animals perished, vehicles were swept away and many roads to the tribal areas cut off.

On Monday, as many as 19 people drowned in flashfloods in Mosa Khel in Balochistan and Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab while the rescuers fished out nine dead bodies.

In Punjab, 7 people have swept away in the hill torrent from Koh-e-Suleman in Tuman Qaisarani in Dera Ghazi Khan. Five dead bodies were fished out. However, the rescuers saved one person while another was still missing.

A woman died due to land sliding in the area.

Dear Ghazi Khan has been cut off from the rest of the country due to hill torrents from the Suleman Range Mountains.

In Balochistan, the nullahs and streams in Kohlu, Barkhan, Dera Bugti, Jhal Magsi, and Jafarabad have overflown threatening flooding of the areas. River Nari and River Tili are facing medium flood.

According to official data, the death toll in Balochistan has reached 194.