Floods: Main rivers holding as water levels continue to rise

Level in Mangla dam jumped 190 feet reaching 1190.25 feet against dead level of 1040 feet, maximum level of 1242 feet.

MIRPUR/ ISLAMABAD: Heavy showers in the country have contributed to fast swelling levels of water in rivers and reservoirs, while the Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has maintained that all the main rivers are flowing normally.

Floods, which have ravaged large parts of Pakistan for the past two successive years, may yet repeat this year with some cities already inundated, and further rain threatens floods in rivers and main tributaries.

Water level in the country’s second largest reservoir Mangla Dam has been steadily rising after recent rains, reaching 1190.25 feet on Tuesday against the dead level of 1040 feet, official sources said, adding that the maximum conservation level for the dam was 1242 feet.

“The water level in the Mangla Dam on Tuesday rose to the level of 1190.25 feet against the dead level of 1040 feet and it was swiftly rising,” a WAPDA source said, adding that it had jumped over 190 feet on Tuesday alone. The sources added that the reservoir was being currently filled with water for future usage for irrigation purposes and to boost up power generation.

However, an expert said that the fast raising of water level in Mangla dam would not help increase the volume of power generation from the Mangla power house to combat the energy crises and to assist the usage of water to enhance the per acre agricultural yield through irrigation of the targeted areas in the country.

Meanwhile, the FFC said on Tuesday that all main rivers which include Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej are flowing normally.

According to the FFC, River Swat is flowing in low flood with a falling trend at Charsadda Road Bridge. Tarbela and Mangla Dams are at elevations of 1548.40 feet and 1188.95 feet respectively, which are 1.60 feet and 53.05 feet below their respective maximum conservation levels of 1550.00 feet and 1242.00 feet.

The FFC further said that today's combined live storage position of Tarbela, Chashma and Mangla reservoirs is 10.432 MAF as compared to last year's 11.907 MAF.

WAPDA has already announced to raise the water level up to the maximum required extent of 1242 feet by the end of this year.

According to the Flood Forecasting Division Lahore (FFD), yesterday's monsoon low continues to prevail over Eastern Sindh, whereas a trough of Westerly Wave still persists over Kashmir.

A seasonal low also lies over Northeastern Balochistan. Strong monsoon current up to 7000 feet is penetrating into lower parts of the country.

The weather system is being closely monitored by the Pakistan Meteorological Department (MeD).

As predicted by the Flood Forecasting Division Lahore (FFD), widespread thunderstorm and rain with scattered heavy to very heavy falls at times are expected over Hyderabad, Karachi, Sukkur, Larkana, Zhob, Kalat, Sibbi, Nasirabad and DG Khan Divisions during the next 24 hours.

Scattered thunderstorms and rains with isolated heavy falls may also occur over Mirpurkhas, Multan, Bahawalpur and Sahiwal Divisions besides isolated thunderstorm and rain over upper Punjab (Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Gujranwala and Lahore Divisions), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan including upper catchments of River Indus, Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej during the same period.

Meanwhile, troops of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, have been deployed in rains affected areas of Kashmore, Jacobabad, Shikarpur, Khairpur, Tando Allah Yar and Larkana.

A spokesperson of Pakistan Rangers, said on Tuesday that the troops of Pakistan Rangers, Sindh, will assist the civil administration in the relief and rescue works in the rain affected areas.