The Punjab Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) has reiterated its warnings of the threat of fresh flooding in several districts of south Punjab, as India continues to release high volumes of water into downstream rivers.
In a statement, the PDMA said protective embankments at Basti Baharan near Multan had collapsed, while authorities had deliberately made a cut on the Uch Sharif road to protect the city from flooding. However, the decision has resulted in several surrounding villages such as Mouza Jhanbo, Nooraja Bhatta, Kotla, Bahadurpur, and Sabra underwater.
Jalalpur Pirwala, among the worst-affected districts, has witnessed a decline in water levels, but the situation at Head Panjnad remains concerning, with a flood wave of 607,000 cusecs flowing through it. The flooding has devastated crops in the region and severed road linkages, forcing residents and rescuers alike to rely on boats for relocations to safety.
Several areas of south Punjab remain inundated, with local authorities striving to ensure the safety of residents and their livestock. However, casualties continue to mount, with the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) raising the nationwide death toll from this year’s monsoon and floods to 947, in addition to 1,062 injured.
Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabil Javaid has said over 4,500 villages and 4.287 million people have been affected by floods across the province, adding 2.262 million have been relocated. He said the government had established 396 relief camps, 490 medical camps and 412 veterinary camps, and relocated 1.696 million animals. Thus far, he said, 79 people have died due to the floods.
Due to the rise in water levels, Tarbela Dam has reached its maximum capacity of 1,550 feet, while Rawal Dam stands at 1,751.80 feet, just short of its full capacity of 1,752 feet. Mangla Dam is 92 percent full at 1,234.60 feet, while Simli Dam has reached its maximum storage of 2,315.25 feet. Authorities have had to open the spillways of all major dams to release excess water and protect infrastructure.
The PDMA has said that it expects the water levels to start declining in the coming days, as there is no fresh forecast for torrential rainfall either in Pakistan or in the upper catchment areas of India. It said the waters were now proceeding toward Sindh.
Sindh situation
The confluence of waters from the Chenab, Sutlej and Ravi has now entered the Indus River, raising water levels at the Guddu and Sukkur barrages. Officials in Sindh have said the inflow at the Guddu Barrage has reached 502,861 cusecs, while the outflow is 407,970 cusecs. At the Sukkur Barrage, the inflow is 440,985 cusecs against outflow of 412,735 cusecs. The Kotri Barrage has an inflow of 257,754 cusecs and outflow of 254,354 cusecs.
The waters have already inundated several areas in the riverine areas of Sindh, prompting evacuations of local populations.