India ‘not behind’ flooding of villages

Weather experts say heavy rains in catchment areas of major rivers caused overflows

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) on Monday said that flooding of villages in Pakistan was caused by heavy showers occurred in catchment areas of major rivers Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej and not due to any sinister move by India.

The media had reported that "several villages in Pakistan were flooded after India released water in River Ravi, River Sutlej, and River Chenab on Sunday".

"Owing to the rainfall activity in upper catchments of Ravi, Sutlej and Chenab rivers across the border, there have been increased discharges over the past 24 hours or so as reported by the Office of Pakistan Commissioner for Indus Waters (PCIW)," the FFC categorically said in a report.

Moreover, Chief Meteorologist at Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) Muhammad Riaz explained that heavy rainfall had occurred in the Pakistan-India border region, which was the reason behind increased flow of water in the rivers.



The PMD official also clarified that the PMD had not received any reports of water being released into Pakistani rivers. He said the weather systems had generated floods across the border, mainly in the watershed areas of Chenab, Sutlej and Ravi rivers.

Riaz said the water that subsequently entered Pakistani villages from India was not 'extraordinary', and the water which did enter Sialkot and Narowal areas was dealt with by districts' own officials.

According to the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD), weak seasonal low persists over northern Balochistan and is a source of drawing weak moist currents from Arabian Sea, which is penetrating into upper parts of Pakistan up to elevation of 3,000 feet.

"Yesterday's well-marked monsoon low over eastern Rajasthan [India] today lies over northern Rajasthan and adjoining southwestern Uttar Pradesh [India] whereas yesterday's trough of westerly wave continues to prevail over northern parts of Pakistan," the report said.

During the next 24 hours, as predicted by the FFD, scattered thunderstorm or rain with isolated heavy falls may occur over the upper catchments of River Sutlej. During the same period isolated thunderstorm or rain is also expected over the upper catchments of Indus, Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi rivers, including Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala and Lahore Divisions) and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (Malakand and Hazara divisions). Wet spell is likely to decrease from Tuesday.