Rains to improve water levels at major dams

Rain, dust and thunderstorms expected within 24 hours at scattered places across K-P, AJK, Punjab

ISLAMABAD: The ongoing spell of rain in upper parts of the country will help in increasing the water levels at two major reservoirs. These reservoirs had hit their dead levels on March 10.

“The current showers that are expected to continue till Thursday will not only help to increase the water levels at the Tarbela and Mangla dams but will also give a temporary relief to people scorched by intense heat in the last few weeks,” said Met Office chief Dr Ghulam Rasul on Tuesday.

“These showers will not fill these water reservoirs completely but at least will help to raise their water levels a bit that will help to meet water requirement for irrigation purpose to some extent,” he said while talking to The Express Tribune.

According to the Met Office, the water level at the Terbela Dam was recorded at 1,388.14 feet against its dead level of 1,380 feet while the water level at Mangla Dam was 1,084 feet against its dead level of 1,040 feet.



“In the last week of April, glaciers will also start melting which will also help to increase water levels in the reservoirs,” he said, adding that “In February Pakistan received below average rain due to which water levels in major reservoirs reached their dead levels.”

Sharing details about the weather, he said heavy showers along with hailstorm, windstorm, thundering and lightning was expected in many parts of the country.

“This will bring down temperature to 23-28 degree Celsius which is around 33-40 degree centigrade in various cities,” he said, adding that in the last week of March, temperature reached 45 degree centigrade in a few places of Sindh and Punjab.



“However after this spell, the temperature is expected to rise and will cross 40 degree centigrade in various cities again,” he said.

According to Met office, rain, dust and thunderstorms are expected within 24 hours at scattered places in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), tribal areas, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala, Lahore, Sargodha, Faisalabad, Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and a few places in DG Khan, Multan and Sahiwal divisions.

Heavy rains are also expected at isolated places in Malakand, Hazara and Kashmir. Due to heavy rainfalls there is a risk of flash flooding and landslides at vulnerable areas. Hailstorm is also expected in Islamabad, upper Punjab, upper K-P and Kashmir.