KASUR / NAROWAL: The increased water inflow in rivers from India continued to threaten villages along the banks as more people were evacuated on Monday.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the authorities to make fool-proof arrangements to handle the possible flood situation in Ravi, Chenab and Sutlej rivers, according to APP.

Rescue 1122 evacuated 236 people, including 16 children, in areas close to the Ravi river in Narowal on Monday.

The families were moved to safe locations with the help of Rangers, according to Harmat Ali, the Rescue 1122 spokesman in Narowal.

Locals in villages along Ravi asked to ‘prepare for evacuation’; PM wants ‘foolproof arrangements’

On Sunday, at least 95 people, including five Rangers personnel, stranded near Ravi and Tawi rivers were rescued as water in the rivers rose to dangerous levels.

According to Narowal Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Ashraf, the water flow in the Ravi river near Shakargarh tehsil has reduced from 75,000 cusecs on Sunday night to 23,000 cusecs on Monday evening.

Sialkot DC Adnan Mahmood Awan said the combined flow of Chenab and Tawi rivers at Head Marala was 176,940 cusecs on Monday. He said all water bodies were carrying normal flows and the district administration was prepared to deal with the situation.

In villages close to the Ravi river near Kasur, authorities made announcements through mosque loudspeakers asking locals to be ready for relocation in case water level rises above the low-flood level.

The Kasur district administration said India released 65,000 cusecs of water from Ferozepur Headworks in Punjab at 3:47pm on Monday. The water was expected to reach Ganda Singhwala near Kasur in 19 hours.

The administration has arranged motor boats and set up relief camps at the Talwar Post area where the water level was 18 feet, 1.5ft below the low-level flood.

According to Assistant Commissioner Rizwanul Haq Puri, people in riverside villages, hamlets and low-lying areas have been asked to be ready for evacuation in the next 24 hours.

For the time being, the main focus was the Bhikiwind post and its adjoining villages, including Chanda Singhwala, Gati Klunjer and Chhant, where the water current increases due to a squeeze in the river bed, he added.

In Bahawalnagar, the water level in Sutlej river increased to 16ft near Head Ganda Singh after increased water inflow from India, APP reported quoting the district administration spokesperson.

The water level in the river has risen by three feet in the past 12 hours. The administration claims to have put arrangements in place to deal with any emergency in the wake of flooding in the river.

In Gujrat, there was a low-level flood recorded in the Chenab river from Marala to Khanki headworks on Monday.

Gujranwala Commissioner Naveed Sheerazi and Regional Police Officer Dr Haider Ashraf visited areas along the Chenab river where Gujrat DC Safdar Virk briefed them about the possible flood situation and evacuation plans.

The DC told Dawn that the water inflow at Marala headworks was around 176,000 cusecs. At Khanki and Qadirabad headworks, the flow was 193,000 and 186,000 cusecs, respectively.

In Lahore, the commissioner claimed the flood situation in Ravi and Sutlej rivers was not alarming.

“If you study the data, India, last year, released 172,000 cusecs which reduced to 60,000 cusecs at Jassar point and 31,000 cusecs at Shahdra [in Ravi river],” Muhammad Ali Randhawa said while talking to Dawn on Monday.

He added this time India has so far released 182,000 cusecs which reduced to 65,000 cusecs at Jassar and 35,000 cusecs at Shahdra. “Similarly, the release rate in Sutlej was also low,” the commissioner said.

PM calls for ‘foolproof’ arrangements

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the relevant authorities to be ready with foolproof plans for the timely and safe evacuation of people from the affected areas, he said on Monday.

The PM Rangers and Rescue 1122 personnel for timely evacuation of the people trapped in flood water in Shakargarh.

“I along with the whole nation pay tributes to the country’s dutiful personnel”, he remarked.

Medium flood in Chenab river

The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) said heavy rainfall in catchment areas of the Chenab river has resulted in medium flood at the Marala-Khanki-Qadirabad headworks between Sialkot and Hafizabad.

According to the daily FFC report, all other major rivers were carrying normal flows. Medium to high-level flooding in the Ravi river at Jassar, near Narowal, and medium-level flooding in its other nullahs was expected during the next 24 hours.

According to the Flood Forecasting Division, Lahore, widespread wind and thunderstorm/ rain was expected in isolated places over the upper catchments of Sutlej river during the next 24 hours.

Scattered wind and thunderstorms of light to moderate intensity were expected over Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sargodha, Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu, D.I. Khan and upper catchments of Indus, Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi rivers during the said period.Waseem Ashraf Butt from Gujrat and Khalid Mahmood from Lahore also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2023