FLASH FLOOD TARGET: Rescue workers help stranded motorists after heavy monsoon rains flood roads in Landi Kotal, Khyber district. PHOTO: PPI
PESHAWAR/ISLAMABAD:
Water levels rose across Pakistan’s major rivers on Monday as heavy monsoon rains swelled streams and officials said upstream releases from Indian dams increased inflows, prompting fresh flooding, the operation of the Tarbela dam spillway and increased monitoring of the river system.
According to official figures, the combined flow in rivers across the country reached 454,000 cusecs.
The Chenab river carried about 130,000 cusecs while the Indus recorded flows of 232,000 cusecs at Tarbela, 243,000 cusecs at Kalabagh, 247,000 cusecs at Chashma, 210,000 cusecs, 06,000 cusecs, 06.04. 110,000 cusecs at Sukkur Barrage.
Water flow in the Jhelum River also increased, with 57,000 cusecs recorded at Mangla Dam.
Officials attributed the rising river levels to widespread monsoon rains and the opening of drains at upstream Indian dams. Total water storage in the nation’s reservoirs was 6.1 million acre-feet.
Furthermore, authorities also warned that an intense heat wave in Skardu and other northern areas, where temperatures reached 37 degrees Celsius, had accelerated snow and glacier melting, increasing the risk of flooding from glacial lake outbursts.
To control the inflow, the authorities operated the spillways at the Tarbela Dam and decided to keep the reservoir at the maximum possible available capacity to accommodate floods arriving from the northern catchments.
The drains, which were opened at 4pm on Sunday, were scheduled to be closed at midday on Monday.
Meanwhile, according to the Flood Forecasting Division’s update at 06:00, low-level flooding continued at Head Khanki and Head Qadirabad on the Chenab River, while flows in the Indus, Jhelum, Ravi, Sutlej and Kabul rivers remained within normal limits at major gauging stations.
The division said the water level of Tarbela Dam stood at 1,506.01 feet, representing 58% of its storage capacity compared to 80% on the same day last year. Mangla Dam’s level was recorded at 1,175.85 feet, or 40% capacity, compared to 50% a year earlier.
During the previous 24 hours, the highest flows were recorded on the Chenab River, with Head Marala receiving 178,467 cusecs, Head Khanki 169,146 cusecs and Head Qadirabad 157,156 cusecs, all at mean flood level. The Jhelum river at Mangla recorded a flow of 70,000 cusecs.
The Flood Forecasting Division warned that medium to high flood could develop at Head Marala, Head Khanki and Head Qadirabad during the next 24 hours, while low to medium flood was expected at Mangla on the Jhelum. Low level floods were also predicted at Tarbela, Kalabagh and Chashma on the Indus.
The water level also rose in the Deg Nullah at Kingra Bridge on the Ravi River, with flows reaching 10,193 cusecs, placing the creek at a low flood level.
Later in the day, officials reported that the inflow at Head Marala had reached 110,355 cusecs while the outflow was 88,082 cusecs, indicating low-level flooding. At Mangla, the inflow into the Jhelum rose sharply to 133,000 cusecs, resulting in medium flooding, though downstream discharges remained within normal limits.
Casualties
Meanwhile, the deteriorating weather also claimed lives in various parts of the country.
In Khyber district, three people died after being swept away by flash floods triggered by heavy rains in Landi Kotal.
A spokesman for Rescue 1122 said the death toll rose to three after rescue teams found the bodies of a woman, a man and a child. The woman and the man were found in Jabba Khwar area of Jamrud, while the body of the child was recovered from Parang Sam with the help of local residents.
According to the spokesman, Rescue 1122 divers and local volunteers conducted a joint search operation before the bodies were handed over to the relevant authorities for legal formalities. The emergency services urged the public to avoid rivers, streams and seasonal waterways during heavy rainfall and to call 1122 immediately in case of emergency.
The floods followed torrential rains in Landi Kotal and other upper parts of Khyber district, where raised seasonal streams swept away several vehicles. Authorities said no additional injuries have been reported.
Meanwhile, heavy rains also lashed Peshawar and Nowshera, bringing down temperatures significantly after days of hot and humid weather.
In Azad Jammu and Kashmir, three members of a family were killed and two others injured after a rain-triggered landslide hit a house in Hatli Bala village in Nikyal tehsil of Kotli district.
Officials said a mother, her daughter and her son died when the hillside collapsed on the house. Their bodies were recovered from the debris and laid to rest while the injured were shifted to the Tehsil headquarters hospital. A loaded truck was also swept away by floods in the area.
Heavy rain and a cloudburst also caused widespread destruction in the Neelum Valley, damaging infrastructure and disrupting normal life.
Elsewhere, torrential rains continued to lash Hazara Division, overflowing streams and seasonal nullahs, triggering landslides and blocking several roads.
In Abbottabad, heavy monsoon showers severely disrupted daily life. Flooding in Tarnawai Nullah cut off a link road in Reala and halted traffic because no bridge exists at the junction. Hundreds of trucks carrying phosphate remained stranded on both sides of the flooded route.
Intermittent rain also continued in Balakot and Kaghan Valley, where flash floods forced the temporary closure of the road leading to Saif-ul-Muluk Lake and another road at Sahuch. Machines belonging to the Kaghan Development Authority (KDA) and the National Highway Authority (NHA) were deployed to clear debris and restore traffic, while several tourist vehicles and jeeps remained stranded.
In Haripur, heavy rain inundated low-lying areas after local waterways overflowed. Deputy Commissioner Haripur said residents living near streams had been shifted to safer places.
The increased flow in the Indus also filled the Tarbela Dam, prompting the authorities to operate its spillway to release excess water.
Authorities have urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, stay away from rivers, streams and flood-prone areas and follow official advice as the current monsoon system continues to affect northern parts of the country.
