High alert in Swat over floods

Commissioner shares emergency contact numbers

SWAT: Following heavy rains in the Malakand division, the Swat district administration has set up a control room to help affected residents of the area apart from chalking out a plan with the security forces for rescue and relief operations.

Briefing the media Sunday about the measures taken, Malakand Commissioner Riyaz Khan Mehsud said that they have cancelled all the leaves of the assistant commissioners and other department officials while hospitals in the region have been put on high alert.

Moreover, he said that they have prepared a coordinated plan with the security forces to facilitate citizens.

Mehsud shared a number to report flash floods, cloudburst or any damages to the district commissioner’s office: [phone].

Moreover, he assured that he will also be available around the clock on the phone.

The commissioner has also brought heavy machinery to the area for handling to any untoward situation.

He added that monsoon flood relief funds have been formed at the district administration level through which Rs20 million have been provided to each district while they have sought a further sum of Rs50 million for each district administration from the provincial government.

Mehsud further said that the provincial government will release Rs500 million to each district of the Malakand division in connection with monsoon flood relief funds.

Medium flood at Warsak- Nowshera Reach

The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has said that the Rivers Indus and Kabul are flowing in low flood at Chashma Barrage and in medium flood at the “Warsak - Nowshera Reach” respectively.

According to daily FFC report, all other main rivers (Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej including Indus at rest of the locations) are flowing normally. The actual river flows, reservoir elevations and live storage indicated that the combined live storage in Tarbela, Chashma & Mangla reservoirs stands at 8.026 MAF, which was much healthier than last year’s 5.508 MAF and was 58.66 per cent of the maximum combined live storage capacity.

Moreover, a westerly wave trough over northern parts of the country has moved eastwards and lies over Kashmir and adjoining areas. Seasonal Low lies over Northeastern Balochistan.

Scattered thunderstorms with rain and isolated heavy showers are expected over upper catchments of all major rivers including Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Southern Sindh and Eastern Balochistan during the next 24 hours.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2019.