Flood threat looms as dams in India overflow

Downpours from July 22-26, as well as swelling rivers, increase risks of flooding, warns Met office

LAHORE:

A flood threat looms yet again along rivers in Punjab after water in Indian dams flowing into Pakistani rivers have started to overflow, threatening to burst to dangerous levels, the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has predicted.

The Met office in an alert issued on Friday warned that due to continuous rains, water levels in Indian dams have swollen dangerously high. As a result, dams on Beas, Sutlej and Ravi rivers have reached their maximum capacity and were filled 67%, 75% and 89% respectively.

This, coupled with more monsoon downpours, will heighten the risks of flooding.

To tackle this, PDMA and the concerned district administration are on high alert and actively working to deal with the emergency situation. It has also asked the towns and settlements near the rivers to take precautionary measures.

In a separate alert, it said that as monsoon winds bore down on the upper parts of the country, the monsoon spell was likely to persist with heavy showers lashing major cities from July 22-26 and potentially causing flash flooding.

The PDM said the monsoon currents were penetrating the country from the Bay of Bengal and a westerly trough was also affecting its upper parts that might persist during the next few days.

The PDMA warned the heavy rains might also cause urban flooding in low-lying areas of Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Gujranwala and Lahore from July 22-26, and trigger landslides in the vulnerable areas of Murree, Galliyat, Kashmir, Gilgit Baltistan and hilly areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the period.

“Heavy rain may generate flash flooding in Kashmir, Dir, Swat, Kohistan, Shangla, Buner, Manshera, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi/Islamabad during July 22-26, and cause hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan and adjoining areas of northeast Balochistan on July 22 and 23,” it warned.

Heavy rains, it went on, might also trigger water logging in low-lying areas of Karachi and Hyderabad during July 22-24, the PMD said.

“Rain/wind-thundershower with few heavy to very heavy falls are expected in Kashmir, (Neelum valley, Muzaffarabad, Poonch, Hattian, Bagh, Haveli, Sudhanoti, Kotli, Bhimber, Mirpur), Gilgit Baltistan (Diamir, Astore, Ghizer, Skardu, Hunza, Gilgit, Ghanche, Shigar), Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, Jhelum, Mandi Bahauddin, Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Sheikhupura, Hafizabad, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Kasur, Mianwali, Sargodha, Khushab, Faisalabad, Toba Tek Singh, Jhang, Sahiwal, Bahawalnagar, Okara, Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Buner, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Haripur, Peshawar, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Kurram, Lakki Marwat, Kohat, Dera Ismail Khan, Bannu, Karak and Waziristan from July 22- 26 with occasional gaps,” it added.

Rain/wind-thundershower with isolated heavy falls, the PMD further said, “are also expected in Zhob, Sherani, Barkhan, Musakhel, Kohlu, Naseerabad, Jhal Magsi, Loralai, Ziarat, Mastung, Kalat, Khuzdar, Lasbela, Awaran, Kech, Panjgur, Dera Ghazi khan, Rajanpur, Multan, Khanewal, Bhakkar, Layyah, Kot Addu, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Tharparkar, Umerkot, Mirpurkhas, Sukkur, Larkana, Jacobabad, Dadu, Shaheed Benazirabad, Hyderabad, Sanghar, Badin, Thatta and Karachi from July 22- 24 with occasional gaps”.

It advised the farmers to manage their activities keeping in view the weather forecast and asked tourists and travellers to remain extra cautious to avoid any untoward situation during the wet spell.

The Met office urged the public to stay at safe places during wind-storm/heavy rains as loose structures like electric poles, solar panels etc might be damaged.

It also advised all the authorities concerned to remain alert and take necessary precautionary measures during the forecast period.

*With Inputs from APP