NAROWAL: The water levels in the Chenab and Ravi rivers, and the rainwater drain Dek have significantly increased due to ongoing flooding.

Also, the Allama Iqbal Express passenger train between Sialkot and Wazirabad has been suspended for two days due to the railway track being submerged in rainwater.

Rescue 1122 rescued 54 people trapped in the floodwater.

Narowal Deputy Commissioner (DC) Muhammad Ashraf said the water level of rainwater drain Dek rose from 5,000 cusecs to 32,000 cusecs at Deoli village. The drain has a capacity of 35,000 cusecs. The DC said 15 people, including four women and three children, were stranded in the flood at Deoli. Rescue 1122 evacuated and relocated them to a secure place.

The lack of safety dams at Jandiala and Magwal villages led to the floodwaters entering the fields through the rainwater drain Dek. Consequently, crops spanning hundreds of acres were submerged.

The Dek flooding caused the collapse of four electricity poles, resulting in the suspension of electricity supply to several villages.

According to Rescue 1122, the water level in the rainwater drain Oaj at Jalala Sharif in Shakargarh has risen to 42,000 cusecs. Also, 65,000 cusecs of water near Kot Neenan and 34,640 cusecs of flood relays near Jassr are flowing in the Ravi River.

Rescue 1122 said eight people trapped in the flood near the Rangers check post on the other side of the Ravi River were also rescued.

Sialkot Rescue 1122 said that 20 farmers who were in their tents near Saidu village became trapped in the Chenab and Jammu Tawi floods. A Rescue 1122 team rescued all 20 people.

Sialkot DC Adnan Mahmood Awan said that the water level in the Chenab River reached 204,000 cusecs at the Head Marala, while the water level in the Jammu Tawi River stood at 17,298 cusecs.

Given the heavy rains and the potential for further flooding, all district departments are on high alert.

A visit to the Chaprar area of Tehsil Sialkot revealed that the water from the Jammu Tawi River overflowed this afternoon, affecting agricultural lands in neighboring villages such as Salehpur, Patwal, and Jhummian. The total population of these villages is 6,000.

Rescue 1122, police, and revenue field staff are present in the area, patrolling and monitoring the situation. Flood camps have been activated, but no evacuations have been deemed necessary at this time.

Over a foot of water has accumulated on the railway track between Sialkot and Aguki railway station.

Javed Shah, railway traffic inspector, informed Dawn that the Allama Iqbal Express train could not reach Sialkot from Wazirabad due to the water accumulation on the track. As an alternative, the route of the Allama Iqbal Express train was diverted to Lahore. To accommodate the passengers, the Lassani Express train was operated from Sialkot to Lahore. Javed Shah clarified that the accumulated water on the railway track between Sialkot and Aguki railway station resulted from sewage and rainfall, and not from any river or rainwater drain. The Sialkot DC could not be reached for comment.

Published in Dawn, July 20th, 2023