ISLAMABAD:
The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) issued a high flood advisory for the Chenab River on Wednesday, warning that high floods are expected to persist for the next six to eight hours before gradually subsiding as rainfall over the major catchment areas continues to decrease.
A strong monsoonal approach interacting with an approaching westerly wave is expected to affect the catchments of all major rivers during the 22nd-24th. July 2026. Widespread rainfall including isolated heavy falls is expected over Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Punjaochist. This can trigger rapid increases in river flows, flash floods in hill streams and seasonal streams, and urban flooding in vulnerable cities.
According to Flood Forecasting Division of PMD, heavy rainfall observed over river Chenab catchment along with hydrometeorological conditions and Sialkot weather radar data has resulted in high floods.
Although rainfall has now subsided in the major sub-catchments, river flows are expected to remain high for the next six to eight hours before gradually falling.
The advisory said the river Chenab at Marala is expected to remain at high flood level for the next six to eight hours, while the water level is likely to decline gradually thereafter if the current rainfall trend continues. It added that Khanki and Qadirabad are also expected to achieve high floods in the next 10 to 18 hours.
The Flood Forecasting Division said it would continue close monitoring of hydrometeorological conditions, river flows and weather radar observations and would issue updates if the situation changes.
Meanwhile, increasing monsoon rains have increased water flows across Punjab’s river network, prompting authorities to issue flood warnings as low- to medium-level flooding was reported in several places, while residents living in vulnerable river basins were urged to move to safer places.
The Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) said the second spell of monsoon rains is expected to continue until July 24 and warned that further rainfall in the upper catchments could further increase river flows.
The authority reported low-level flooding in the Indus River at Kalabagh and Chashma, where water flows were recorded at 317,000 cusecs and 295,000 cusecs respectively. Water levels in Ravi, Sutlej and Jhelum rivers remain within normal limits, while Nallah Baein is also witnessing low-lying floods.
The Chenab River is also experiencing elevated flows, with low-level flooding at Marala and Qadirabad and medium-level flooding at Khanki. Water discharge was measured at 128,000 cusecs at Marala, 152,000 cusecs at Khanki and 157,000 cusecs at Qadirabad.
The Indus River System Authority (Irsa) also said it released 391,900 cusecs of water from various fringe stations on Wednesday against a total inflow of 597,500 cusecs. Irsa data showed water release of 284,200 cusecs at Kalabagh, 195,700 at Taunsa, 122,300 at Guddu and 53,000 cusecs at Sukkur.
Irsa also reported releases of 60,800 cusecs from the Kabul River at Nowshera and 122,800 cusecs from the Chenab River at Marala as authorities continued to monitor the developing flood situation across the country.
Tarbela Dam’s water level stood at 1,514.11 feet, 112.11 feet above its dead level of 1,402 feet, with inflow and outflow recorded at 306,700 and 181,400 cusecs respectively. Mangla Dam’s water level reached 1,181.60 feet, 131.60 feet above its dead level, receiving 90,300 cusecs and releasing 10,000 cusecs.
The monsoon and the Western Disturbance are the two main factors that change the weather over Pakistan; continental air prevails the rest of the year.
Western Disturbances occur mostly in the winter months and cause light to moderate showers in the southern parts of the country, while moderate to heavy showers with heavy snowfall in the northern parts of the country. These westerly waves are stripped of most of their moisture by the time they reach Pakistan.
Fog occurs during the winter season and remains for several weeks in upper Sindh, central Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.
The southwest monsoon occurs in summer from the month of June to September in almost all of Pakistan except western Balochistan, formerly FATA, Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan. Monsoon rains bring much-awaited relief from the scorching summer heat.
