Heavy rains forecast, flood situation in Chenab and Jhelum may intensify

Lahore: The situation is getting serious for water levels with fresh rains in the monsoon season in the country, and the Meteorological Department has predicted the water level of several rivers, such as Chenab, might shoot up in the coming days. As predicted, if the intensity of the rains continues, the flood situation in some areas could get worse, relevant agencies state.

Due to the active westerlies and humid winds from the Arabian Sea/Bay of Bengal, the possibility of rain in the upper catchment areas of the rivers has been enhanced, says the Flood Forecasting Division (FFD). The resulting weather condition could cause the flow of water to continue to rise in the rivers and storm drains until July 24.

The latest forecast indicates that the maximum pressure will occur on the Chenab River with water reaching the high flood level at Marala. Likewise, the flow of water in the upper reaches of the Jhelum River, particularly at Mangla, is also likely to rise considerably. Experts report several storm drains that empty into the rivers could be flowing as well and could exacerbate the risks in low-lying areas.

Punjab Irrigation Department officials say that at present the Chenab is in medium flood flow; however, the situation in the next three to four days will depend on the rains in the upper areas. If the rainfall continues to be more than normal, the water flow may increase, and the need for precautionary measures will increase.

The Meteorological Department has warned that there is a possibility of flash floods in the mountain drains of Dera Ghazi Khan, the rainy areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and northern Balochistan. Along with this, the possibility of urban flooding in several cities, including Lahore, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Faisalabad, Jhelum, Narowal, Gujarat, Sahiwal, Okara, Sargodha, Khushab and Bahawalnagar, cannot be ruled out.

Under the present scenario, the water flow at different locations of the Indus is low or below normal, and no abnormal flood condition is noticed on the Ravi and Sutlej rivers at present, according to the Flood Forecasting Division. In contrast, all the water level monitoring of the Chenab and Jhelum is being carried out on a continuous basis, as these rivers are likely to be more affected in the days to come.

On the other hand, water inflow and outflow at Tarbela and Mangla have continued as usual, but the concerned authorities are constantly keeping track of water levels and inflows of water in the reservoirs and rivers to make timely decisions in case of increased rains, according to the latest water flow data of WAPDA.

The authorities have issued a warning to citizens to monitor the weather forecast and not travel unless necessary and to adhere to orders from the local government, particularly those living close to waterways and storm drains. The relevant agencies have also been instructed to stay vigilant towards any possible emergency situation.