Punjab is facing an unprecedented flood emergency due to a combination of heavy rains and India’s decision to release water from at least two dams.
Both countries have been ravaged by intense monsoon rains and flooding in recent weeks.
Authorities in Punjab have evacuated thousands of people from areas along the rivers as Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej rivers faced “exceptionally high” floods after India released water into Pakistan, officials said on Wednesday.
Lahore, Narowal, Sialkot, Hafizabad, Kasur, Faisalabad, Okara and Sargodha are at risk of the flood. Sialkot and Narowal are already facing massive floods.
Today, India opened all gates of major dams on rivers in occupied Kashmir following heavy rains, and warned Pakistan of the possibility of downstream flooding, Reuters quoted an Indian government source as saying.
Subsequently, the water ministry issued a flood alert, seen by Dawn.com, for flooding on three rivers — Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab — which flow into the country from India.
PMD warns of ‘very high’ flood in Sindh on Sept 4-5
The PMD’s FFD issued a weekly outlook at 12pm, warning that the Indus River at Guddu and Sukkur barrages were expected to attain a “very high” flood level on Sept 4 to 5.
The FFD said “very high to exceptionally high flood levels will continue in River Sutlej at Ganda Singh Wala and downstream, [as well as] River Ravi at Jassar and downstream”.
