Precautionary measures: Khanpur Dam spillways opened to release excess water

Two killed, as many injured in rain-related incidents across Hazara Division.

HARIPUR: Following heavy rainfall in the catchment area of Khanpur Dam, Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) opened the spillways of the reservoir to release excess water and create space for more.

“This is the fourth time over the last two weeks that officials of the authority have decided to open the spillways,” an official at the dam told The Express Tribune. “At least 20,000 cusecs of water had been flushed out by Saturday evening.”

The catchment areas of Khanpur Dam, including Murree, Ayubia and other hilly regions of upper Hazara and Azad Kashmir, have received heavy rains recently, increasing the inflow of water in the reservoir.

Insiders familiar with the matter said the water level had risen to 1,981.05 feet against the fixed maximum conservation level of 1,982 feet.

Since more rain is expected over the next few days, the dam authorities have decided to discharge extra water to make space for more. This time, the water level will be brought down to 1,978 feet.

The authorities opened the spillway at 4pm on Saturday and kept on discharging extra water into Harrow River over the next eight to 10 hours.

When asked about potential threats of flooding caused by the heavy flow of water in Harrow River, the official at the dam said Wapda officials have already informed the district administrations of Haripur, Rawalpindi and Attock before opening the spillway. Moreover, warnings have been issued to people living on either side of the river.

“On Saturday afternoon, the inflow was recorded at 2,835.05 cusecs while the outflow through the spillways is over 6,500 cusecs,” the official said. “For municipal and agriculture consumers, 156.8 cusecs flowed out through its right and left canals.”

Apart from providing irrigation channels to fields in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, Khanpur Dam also provides water to the Capital Development Authority in Islamabad and Cantonment Board Rawalpindi.

Tragedy strikes

Two people were killed while two others were injured in rain-related incidents across Hazara Division, residents and police officials informed The Express Tribune.

Meanwhile, over 13 houses were damaged by the heavy rain which lashed the region.

In Susal village of Mansehra district, a man identified as Yasir was killed when a room in his house was destroyed by a mudslide on Friday night. According to police, he was sleeping when the incident occurred. His family managed to escape unhurt. In a separate incident, Muhammad Irshad, a resident of Phula Gali village of Haripur district, was fast asleep when a wall of his room collapsed, killing him on the spot.

Meanwhile, in Jaraid village of Mansehra district, a tree fell on a single-room house owned by Muhammad Shireen, leaving him and his wife, Resham Jan, injured. The couple was rushed to a local hospital and is said to be out of danger.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 5^th, 2015.