LAHORE, July 19: The rivers Chenab at Marala and Jhelum at Mangla are likely to be in medium to high flood level in the next two days because of the expected heavy rain over their catchments.

Nullahs of the rivers Ravi and Chenab in the Sialkot region may also attain medium to high flood level after 36 hours, said the Flood Forecasting Division here on Friday. The Met department is expecting moderate to heavy rain, very heavy at places, not only over the catchments of these eastern rivers but also in Punjab on Saturday.

The rain is expected because of the persistent trough of westerly wave over northern parts of the country and moist current from the Arabian Sea, penetrating into upper parts of the country up to 5,000 feet.

Thursday’s low pressure area over Northeast Madhya Pradesh was also converted into a monsoon trough.

According to the Met office, widespread thunder showers of moderate to heavy intensity with very heavy intensity at one or two places are expected over upper catchments of the rivers Jhelum, Chenab, Ravi and Sutlej along with Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Gujranwala and Lahore divisions.

Fairly widespread thunder showers of moderate intensity are likely to occur over Sargodha, Faisalabad, Sahiwal divisions and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Isolated thunder showers will occur over Mirpurkhas, Hyderabad, Karachi, Kalat, Naseerabad, Sibbi and Zhob divisions.

It said the rain spell is likely to increase in upper parts of the country.