LAHORE: Punjab seems to be bracing for, what the Pakistan Meteorological Department predicts, a possible deluge which may cause urban flooding, flash floods by hill torrents and swollen rivers (following rains and expected releases from across the border).

The PMD has forecast widespread rains throughout Punjab, with a warning of extremely heavy falls in upper catchments of Sutlej, Ravi and Chenab and up to some extent over Jhelum.

Due to it, “very high to exceptionally high” flooding is expected in rivers, especially Chenab. Flood in Ravi and Sutlej will largely depend on releases from India. But high to very high flooding is expected in all streams (Nullahs) feeding Ravi and Chenab.

Hill torrents have been forecast in four districts of Dera Ghazi Khan Division – a soft belly of the Punjab where flash floods quickly come down in shape of torrents and cause damages to humans and livestock. The administration took note of the warning, imposed emergency in the division and put up monitoring points to record movement of rains and water and make timely announcements for residents of low-lying areas.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) also held an emergency meeting to assess the threat and take preventive measures. He stressed the need for continuous monitoring of water flow in rivers and nullahs and directed the administration to relocate residents living near rivers to safer areas. The administrative authorities of districts situated along the Ravi, Chenab, Sutlej, and Jhelum rivers were instructed to identify suitable locations for setting up relief camps. He also ordered advance arrangements for food, medical treatment, and proper shelter for affected individuals and prioritization of vaccination and fodder for animals.

Lahore Commissioner Muhammad Ali Randhava took his entire team – officials from district administration of Lahore and Sheikhupura, Rescue 1122, Wasa, Irrigation – and army officers to Ravi for on-the-spot briefing. He ordered clearing of bed and bridges to improve the water flow and noted that the river was flowing at 14,000 cusecs currently.

According to the PDMA data, four people lost their lives in Lahore and six died in Gujranwala. Chakwal and Sheikhupura reported three deaths each and one person died in Jhang and another one in Faisalabad. In addition, 49 people got injured, 32 of them severely.

Eight members of the same family, including two siblings, got injured when the roof of their house collapsed in Kamonki area.

In Faisalabad district, a girl died and her grandmother was injured when the roof of a room in their house collapsed on them in a village close to Jarranwala. In Jhang, two people – a clerk working for a lawyer and one Akhtar Ali – were electrocuted during the storm.

Explaining high rates of electrocution during rains, a former head of the Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) said that aging distribution system shares the blame for high numbers along with carelessness of people. “Both these factors have increased electrocution of unfortunate people. As the distribution system gets older, its internal safety checks also get weaker. That also explains why this system cannot take high winds and collapses within first minutes of windstorm or rain,” he regrets....

Published in Dawn, July 7th, 2023