LAHORE: Water level in Sutlej river may rise further over the next 24 hours after rains in the upper catchment areas, the Provincial Disaster Manage­­ment Authority in Punjab and the Pakistan Meteorological Depart­ment warned on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, official data showed rescue teams have evacuated 81,136 people and transported 148,284 to safe locations from July 9 to Aug 23 in the 22 flood-hit districts of the province.

Besides, 16 people lost their lives and 36 were injured due to high flood in riverine areas, Rescue 1122 said.

The PDMA reported a high-level flood in the Sutlej river at Sulemanki headworks, with water reaching a flow rate of 152,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs).

The flow rate at Islam headworks is lower at 84,826 cusecs, though it was rapidly increasing and the PDMA forecasted a high-level flood at the site over the next 24 hours and alerted the local administration as well. (One cubic foot is roughly equal to 28.3 litres.)

However, the water level has started receding at the Ganda Singh Wala location, with a water flow of 118,000 cusecs passing through the spillway.

Flood levels at other rivers in Punjab were “normal”, the PDMA said, but warned that there was a risk of a high-level flood at Mangla in Jhelum river over the next three days.

The PMD also forecasted a medium to high-level flood from today and tomorrow (Aug 24 and 25) at Mangla. It warned that the water flow in Sutlej river might rise again if India released more water.

It said that “scattered to widespread wind-thunderstorm/rain of moderate intensity with isolated heavy falls” was expected over the upper catchments of all major rivers.

PDMA’s director general, Imran Qureshi, said the catchment areas of Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari, Bahawalnagar, Multan, Lodhran and Bahawalpur were affected due to high flood.

He said the administrative machinery in the affected districts was on high alert and helping flood-hit people.

Mr Qureshi visited Okara’s flood-affected areas, assessed the ongoing relief operations, and engaged with administrative officials.

He said that 769 officials had been deployed in several affected districts during the past 24 hours, including Bahawalnagar, Kasur, Okara, Pakpattan, Vehari, Multan and Lodhran.

He said 113 villages had been affected by floods during the past 24 hours, with medical facilities provided to more than 2,000 people and 44 relief camps set up.

Emergency transport was provided to around 1,200 people while 2,616 people stuck in floods were rescued on an emergency basis, he said.

Moreover, cooked food was distributed to around 1,500 while more than 85,000 acres of land have been affected by the floods.

Punjab Relief Commissioner Nabil Javed said that flood relief centres and arrangements were in place in the affected districts and people were being relocated to safe locations.

Meanwhile, Lahore Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhawa said the current flow of water at Talwar post in Sutlej River was 118,000 cusecs.

He directed Kasur Deputy Commissioner Arshad Bhatti to visit the flood relief camps of Kothi Fateh Muhammad, Attar Singh Wala, Baqir Kay, Tatara Kamil and Talwar Post.

Mr Randhawa said 40,913 people and 26,600 cattle heads had been moved to safe places from flood-hit areas.

He said 26,000 people were provided with food in the third phase of relief activities and 912 people were given medical aid at the Kothi Fateh Muhammad medical camp, while 8,490 animals had been provided treatment.

Overall, 7,531 people had been given medical aid and medicines from 11 medical campuses, while 1,100 people had been treated from mobile hospitals, he said.

He said eight police posts had been established to protect the 15 villages evacuated and the emergency law Section 144, which prohibits gatherings in public areas, had been imposed.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2023