A red alert has been issued following an unusual rise in the water level in River Indus near Bhakkar and Mianwali.
All relevant departments have been placed on high alert because of the risk of flood.
Hundreds of acres of standing crops within the flood embankment in Bhakkar were submerged. The affected crops include those of sugarcane, mung beans, sesame and fodder for livestock. Increased glacier melting and rains are resulting in an increasing volume of water with each passing hour.
According to local residents, the flow of water in the Indus at Bhakkar is gradually increasing.
A moderate-level flood has begun at the Jinnah Barrage. At the point, the water inflow was recorded at 428,000 cusecs, while the outflow stood at 392,820 cusecs.
Consequently, a moderate flood is expected in Bhakkar within the next 24 hours. The irrigation department has set up flood relief camps and deployed staff for the purpose.
According to officials, water inflow at Chashma Barrage has reached 370,656 cusecs, with an outflow of 350,456 cusecs. In view of the flood situation, senior officers of the irrigation department visited the flood embankment.
Superintending Engineer Chaudhry Muhammad Azim said on the occasion that heavy machinery was present on the site and staff had been stationed at flood camps to closely monitor the embankment.
He explained that the monsoon rains have led to a significant rise in water levels in the River Indus.
The district administration has advised residents of low-lying riverine areas to remain cautious. The flood situation is expected to persist for the coming days, but all precautionary measures have been completed, they added.
The officials and the government contractor concerned conducted a detailed inspection of the flood embankment in view of the anticipated moderate flood.
The SE said the district was experiencing a low-level flood and the situation was under control.
However, the district administration instructed residents living near the river to remain alert and strictly follow safety protocols over the next three days.
The SE instructed the irrigation officials to immediately seal the breaches in the embankment caused by rain-induced erosion.
During a briefing, an official said the water inflow and outflow recorded at Chashma Barrage in the morning indicated a low-level flood situation.
The SE directed the department's officers to ensure proper maintenance and round-the-clock vigilance of the flood embankment to eliminate any deficiencies in preparedness for potential emergencies.
Reports from Minawali indicated that Indus River erosion threatened villages near Piplan.
The monsoon rains caused the river to overflow, leading to erosion near Dhangana, a cluster of villages in Tehsil Piplan.
The riverbank erosion extended to the edge of the historic Sher Shah Suri Road, prompting authorities to shut it down for traffic due to safety concerns.
Thousands of acres of farmland has been lost to the river, and hundreds of homes have been destroyed.
Locals unable to get government support were forced to abandon their homes and migrate elsewhere.
Despite continuous erosion the past year, the authorities have yet to take meaningful action to prevent further damage.
Affected residents blocked a highway in protest, disrupting traffic.
Speaking to the media, the protesters, including Attaullah Shaheen, Najeebullah Khan and Ghulam Fareed Bhamp, warned that without immediate construction of protective embankments, remaining farmland and residential areas could be washed away.
They urged higher authorities to instruct the district administration and irrigation department to act on an emergency basis to redress the situation.
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