Several villages in Pakistan submerge with High flood in Rivers
By Waqas Bangash - Pakistan Times Staff Correspondent

ISLAMABAD: Over 35 villages were submerged and hundreds of cattle swept by high flood from Head Marala to Khanki after India released 567,200 cusecs water into Chenab and Jammu Tavi rivers.

The flood water has reached at peak in Marala where water discharge was 288,000 cusecs, while at Khanki 3,54,000 cusecs water flow recorded. Chenab flood waters at Bajwat inundated 35 villages.

Rescue and relief operations were underway in the area as Pak Army troops providing medicines and relief items to the flood victims by helicopters.

Meteorological Department official Shaukat Ali Awan has said Ravi was flowing at 40,000 cusecs Friday morning, while a 35,000 cusecs flow will pass Shahdara tomorrow.

People at the inner belt of the river have been directed to evacuate to safer places, met department sources said.

Threat recedes

Yet another report says that there is no serious threat of flood for the villages lying on both sides of River Ravi, right from Jassar to Shahdara and onward'.

Flood forecasting division of Pakistan Meteorological Department said on Friday that threat of high flood in low-lying areas on both sides of river Chenab has also receded for the time being.

Flood forecasting division further stated that river Ravi is normal but the water level is gradually rising.

“Closure of Marala Link Canal on Thursday has averted any threat of devastating flood in River Ravi”, said Chief Meteorologist Shaukat Ali Awan.

At present 40,000-cusec water was passing at Jassar and 35,000-cusec water would pass Shahdara today, Saturday which was below normal flood level.

Had Link Marala Canal not closed in time, addition of its 20,000-cusec water would definitely have brought water at Shahdara to medium flood level.

Emergency measures of closing Link Marala Canal were taken to avoid threat of flood on both sides of river Ravi at Shahdara and low-lying areas.

This action was a result of information of considerable rise in the water level at Ravi reached there at the right time.

Directives

Meanwhile, District Coordination Officer and Caretaker City District Government Lahore, Khalid Sultan has directed all flood relief sector officers to prepare themselves for facing any emergency.

He has also issued warning to abadis established at the Ravi bed and the people have been asked to shift to safe places to avoid the flood. He said that the CDG has finalised necessary arrangements for facing any emergency. He informed that 16 flood relief sectors were working round the clock for providing relief to the people.

There is no further flood threat in River Chenab at Marala. Water discharge at Marala is 213,323-cusec and the water level is subsiding. Water discharge at Khanki is 361,078-cusec and at Qadirabad is 337,613-cusec but the water level is rising.

River Indus

River Indus at Kalabagh is in low flood where discharge of water is 273,171-cusec. At Taunsa, water discharge is 4,46,004-cusec but the level is falling. At Chashma, water discharge is 335,033-cusec and water level is rising. There is medium flood at Chashma.

High level flood in the Indus River has already damaged low-lying areas of Layyah, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Muzaffargarh districts. Thousands of people were still stranded in flood hit areas.

Water discharge at Qila Suba Singh Nala Dek is 4,089-cusec and there is low flood. Water level is also rising over there.

River Kabul

River Kabul at Nowshera and River Swat at Munda are in high flood with falling tendency.

Yet, the increased water flows in Chenab River, with India releasing extra water from Baglihar Dam site, will continue to play havoc also in the belt areas of Jehlum and Indus Rivers in next week after it caused floods from Marala headworks to Tremo in Punjab.

As floods devastated life at Marala to Tremo with one causality in Sialkot’s Bajwa village on Friday, more rains at catchment areas can aggravate situation at Southern Punjab and Sindh particularly as water of all rivers, after Punjab’s five rivers merge at Panjnad, fall in Indus at Mithan Kot.

The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) said the major water quantum from India travelled from Marala to Tremo causing floods at over 50 villages, and it may worsen the situation when joins Jehlum River at Tremo and afterward with Indus River at Mithan Kot.

Since India released extra water, the water flows at Marala, having total water discharge capacity of 1,100,000 cusecs per day, was recorded as 370,000 cusecs in the morning and continued to decrease with major pressure at the downstream areas from where it passed.

“We received 55,000 cusecs water less than what we were expecting since India conveyed about the increase in water flows,” Director General Meteorological Department Dr Qamaruz Zaman said.

The water level at Khanki, Qadirabad and Tremo headworks was recorded at very high flood position the overflows occurred at these areas causing severe damages at the River belt areas. The maximum water flow at Khanki was 368,078 cusecs and at Qadirabad as 348,213 cusecs.

The FFC and Met Office said there was no more danger at Marala headworks since the major water quantum released by India has passed from it. “We have received reports from DCOs, under which, nearly 50 villages were inundated due to increased water flows at Chenab,” the FFC officials said.

Perils to Crops

Besides rice and sugarcane in upper Punjab, the standing cotton crops in southern belt of Punjab and Sindh’s Left Bank of Indus River can face a serious setback in the floods specially in coming monsoon, sources told The Nation here Friday.

“The cotton crop, that is at its early stage, can receive a setback in the peak monsoon expected to start from July 15 aggravating floods situation at Southern Punjab and Sindh’s areas,” the sources. “The floods caused in Chenab River have a little adverse impact on the cotton crop in Punjab as it damaged only the areas within the River belt (within River)".

Swollen Chenab

Water level in the swollen Chenab at Marala started receding with the discharge registered at 196,415 cusecs at 1pm as against 280,354 cusecs at 6 on Friday morning.

Flood Warning Centre says, peak of the flood touching mark of 325,000 cusecs passed through Marala after which water level started falling at this point.

However, water level was rising at Khanki with discharge recorded at 368,078 cusecs in the afternoon as against 340,540 cusecs in the morning.

Similarly, water level rose at Qadirabad to 346,810 cusecs from 216,141 cusecs recorded in the morning.

Water level was also rising in the river Ravi at different points with 40,200 cusecs recorded at Jassar at 1pm as against 29,272 cusecs in the morning.

Water level rose to 29,130 cusecs from 25,630 cusecs at Shahdara and was expected to further rise to 35,000 cusecs during next 24 hours, which is below the low flood level mark of 40,000 cusecs.

Over 25,000 affected

Over 25,000 people and 25 villages have been affected by the current flood in River Chenab, Jammu Tavi and seasonal Nullah Dek in Sialkot district.

Official sources say that in Chaprar on Friday that no loss of life and injured persons has so far been reported from any part of the district.

In Chaprar area of tehsil Sialkot Chaprar- Salehpur Puli (bridge) had been badly damaged by the heavy flash of flood in River Jammu Tavi as a result of which means of communication were disrupted and people were facing serious hardships.

The rescue operation is in full swing in all flood-stricken areas of the district. Army Jawans, civil defence volunteers and Razakars were busy in evacuating the marooned people form flood hit areas of the district.●