LAHORE/GUJRAT: Expecting heavy to very heavy rainfall in catchment areas of rivers Kabul, Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi, the Flood Forecasting Division has issued a significant flood warning to provincial authorities.

“Heavy downpour may generate exceptional high flood at Mangla upstream in River Jhelum and at Marala, Khanki and Qadirabad in Chenab,” it warns, predicting medium flood in the nullahs of Chenab and Ravi and tributaries of the River Kabul during the next 48 hours.

Hill torrents in Dera Ghazi Khan division are also likely to develop into medium level floods, while Karachi, Hyderabad, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Gujranwala and Sargodha divisions and east Balochistan may witness scattered thunderstorm and isolated heavy falls in the next 24 hours. Water inflow at Mangla reservoir at 8pm on Thursday was 176,00 cusecs and outflow 29,015 cusecs while the dam water level was 1241.75-ft.

Water inflow at Marala Headworks in the Chenab was 249,134 cusecs and outflow 239,134, at Khanki 179,353 and 173,090 cusecs, at Qadirabad 165,819 and 146,919, at Trimmu 40,222 and 25,922 and Punjnad Headworks 40,986 and 26,686 cusecs.

The Ravi at Jassar was receiving 25,560 cusecs and at Ravi Syphon near Lahore 33,206 cusecs. EVACUATION: The local administration in Jhelum has evacuated the population residing along the bank of the Jhelum as well as on the river bed after the authorities at Mangla Dam released 80,000 cusecs of water from the lake on Thursday evening.

On Wednesday, at least 100,000 cusecs of water was released from the dam.

The dam authorities had issued a notice to Jhelum district administration about the release of at least 125,000 cusecs of water on Thursday. However, until 8pm, only 80,000 cusecs were released whereas the water level at Mangla dam touched the level of 1241.45 feet having maximum storage capacity of 1242 feet.

Jhelum Deputy Commissioner Rao Pervez Akhtar told Dawn that the maximum population residing along the river bank and their livestock had been evacuated from the area whereas the flood alerts have also been issued to the villages located along the river.

Meanwhile, a bridge and portion of road have been washed away due to hill torrents causing flash flood in Nabhao storm water channel of Pind Dadan Khan tehsil’s Jamar Ghal area whereas a large number of livestock of the area people have also been washed away.

The Jamar Ghal bridge has completely been washed away and around 20-foot portion of the link road eroded.

Two houses in Khair Sharif and Khalaspur areas of Pind Dadan Khan caved in due to the heavy rain but no loss of life was reported.

Two children were killed and as many others injured as a result of a wall collapse due to heavy rain in Dhudhi village of Pind Dadan Khan.

Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2020