• Chenab, Sutlej and Ravi rivers receiving high water flows after incessant rain in northern India
• Authorities prepare for more evacuations as flood-like situation expected in riverine areas
• NDMA estimates 0.9m people to be affected by rains

NAROWAL: At least 95 people, including five Rangers personnel, stran­ded near Ravi and Tawi rivers were rescued on Sunday as water in the rivers rose to dangerous levels due to increased inflows from India, officials confirmed.

Many cities in Punjab are expected to receive spells of heavy rain on Monday and Tuesday while Chenab and Ravi rivers will be flooded as an incessant downpour in India’s northern states has increased the water discharge towards downstream areas.

According to Harmat Ali, the Rescue 1122 spokesperson in Narowal, 36 people, including five women, were working in the fields on the other side of the Ravi river when they noticed the rising water level. Rescue teams responded swiftly and mov­ed them to a safe location.

He added that five Rangers personnel trap­ped at Riaz Shaheed post on the Pakistan-India border were also moved to a safe place.

Rescue 1122 staff resc­ued four farmers working near Tawi river who were stuck due to the rising water level.

A state of emergency was imposed in Narowal, approximately 15km west of the international border, as authorities expect high water flows in Ravi river.

The district administration has issued a red alert in view of heavy rains in catchment areas. Rescue 1122 has set up three camps in Dhariwal, Kot Nainan and Chandiwala villages on the banks of Ravi river.

Currently around 75,000 cusecs of water was passing through the river, but the water level has been gradually decreasing, Naro­wal Deputy Commi­ssioner Mohammad Ashraf told Dawn. He added no loss of life has been reported due to the high water level.

According to DC Ashraf, 10 camps had been set up for the people likely to be affected by floods.

In Sialkot, Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) Punjab Director General Imran Qureshi and Deputy Commissioner Adnan Mehmood Awan visited Head Marala on the Che­nab River. Later, the DG chaired a meeting to rev­iew preparations for rescue and relief activities.

Rescue authorities in Kasur have also been put on high alert as water levels rose in the Sutlej River.

According to officials, a plan has been put in place to monitor the situation and move people to safe places.

DC Arshad Bhatti told Dawn the administration would install camps at Talwar Post. He said the situation was under control as the river was still below the lower-level flood.

According to Rescue 1122 PRO Akbar Ali, the water of Sutlej river was fast approaching the village of Bhikiwind near the border and villagers have been asked to evacuate.

In Gujrat scores of families from seven villages near the Chenab river have been shifted to safe locations after the administration announced the possibility of a flood, Deputy Commi­ssioner Safdar Virk said.

The forecast has been issued for areas between Marala and Khanki headworks within the limits of Gujrat district. Around 145,000 cusecs of water has been recorded in the upstream of Marala headworks and around 75,000 cusecs in Khanki headworks.

DC Virk and other officials also monitored the situation in the villages along the Chenab River, particularly areas close to Gujrat.

Talking to Dawn after inspecting the areas along the River bank, DC Virk said families were being evacuated in the wake of a possible flood. The administration had set up at least 16 camps in the government buildings to deal with the situation.

Flood, rain forecasts

In many areas of Punjab, authorities have been asked to prepare for incessant rainfall and flood-like situations in areas near the river banks.

The National Disaster Management Authority has cautioned all public and non-government organisations to remain “vigilant and ready” as Lahore, Narowal and Sialkot were expected to receive heavy rainfall over the next 24 to 48 hours.

The NDMA estimated at least 0.9 million people might be impacted by the rains.

Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman has said other provinces have also been alerted for heavy to moderate rain. She added urban flooding alerts had been issued for cities and municipal areas with risks of landslides.

The Federal Flood Commission (FFC) has also warned of high water levels in Chenab and Ravi rivers during the next 48 hours.

As India released around 185,000 cusecs of water from Ujh Barrage in Punjab into the Ravi River, people living along the river and its connected nullahs, Aik and Dek, which pass through Sialkot, Narowal, and Gujranwala districts might be affected.

According to the FFC, Chenab River was in a low-level flood state carrying 122,000 cusecs of water at Head Marala on Sunday, with water flow expected to increase to 170,000 cusecs in the next 24 hours.

A PDMA Punjab spokesperson said relief camps have been set up in all vulnerable districts, where vaccines for snake venom, diarrhoea and other water-borne diseases for humans and livestock have been stocked.

The spokesperson added that Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Essakhel (a tehsil of Mianwali district) were in focus as these areas receive flash floods almost every year.

A sum of Rs360 million has already been released to the district administration for repairing dewatering sets, boats and other machinery and preparing food hampers for flood victims.

76 deaths so far

The monsoon system which started on June 25 has so far resulted in the death of 25 people, NDMA has said.

Meanwhile, nine dead and eight injured were reported during the last 24 hours in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Among them five deaths were reported from Punjab, bringing the provincial death toll to 48, the highest in the country.

In KP 20 deaths have been reported so far followed by five in Balochistan and three in Azad Kashmir.

Out of the 76 casualties, 30 were men, 15 women and 31 children, while 78 houses have been damaged, says the NDMA. Among the total 133 injured people were 48 men, 38 women and 48 children.

During the last 24 hours, the highest amount of rain was recorded in Nagarparkar in Sindh (111 mm). In Punjab, Narowal received the heaviest rain (36mm), while in KP, Kakul received 21mm of rain.

CM Punjab visits Ravi river

Caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi also visited River Ravi in view of the likely flood.

He ordered the departments and institutions concerned to monitor the water flow round-the-clock and ensure the evacuation of humans and livestock.

Mr Naqvi was told that India had released a similar amount of water (185,000 cusecs) last year and only 31,000 cusecs had reached Lahore.

CM Naqvi later told the media that evacuation of locals from areas near the river beds was being ensured. He directed to remove encroachments from river beds to save human lives and maintain the original watercourse to accommodate maximum flood water.

Abid Mehmood from Narowal, Afzal Ansari from Kasur, Waseem Ashraf from Gujrat and Amjad Mahmood from Lahore also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2023