LAHORE: Hundreds of villages in various areas of the province were submerged under water due to the low to medium floods in the Ravi, Sutlej, and Indus rivers.

In Chiniot and other districts, several dozen people have been displaced, and several small dams along the banks of River Sutlej in Arifwala have been washed away. Evacuations have also begun in the katcha areas of South Punjab as the water level rises in Chenab and Indus rivers in Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, and Rahim Yar Khan.

The Provincial Disaster Management Authority has reported low to medium-level flooding at Tarbela, Kalabagh, Taunsa, and Chashma in the Indus River, low at GS Wala, and medium at Sulemanki in the Sutlej River. Meanwhile, the Ravi and Chenab rivers are flowing normally.

Punjab caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Samal village in district Chiniot, where around 50 villages were affected by the floods, resulting in the destruction of houses and property. The chief minister ordered the construction of an embankment in the area and warned that the flood level might increase in the coming days, urging people to take precautionary measures.

He oversaw rescue operations and assessed the damage to houses. He directed the administration to provide fodder for the animals of flood-affected people and reported that 90 percent of the evacuations in flood-affected areas were completed.

The continuous rain in Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur has raised the possibility of flooding in the hill torrents of the region. There could be an increase in water level at Tarbela and Kalabagh in the Indus River, with a moderate flood observed at Chashma and Taunsa.

In Rajanpur, a flood emergency has been declared due to the heavy rains in the Suleiman range.

Punjab Irrigation Secretary Dr Wasif Khursheed stated that the flood situation in the Ravi River is normal, while a low to medium flood has been reported in head Sulemanki as water levels continue to rise. He assured that there is no

immediate threat of flooding, but more rain is expected in the catchment areas, which could further increase water levels in rivers.

He also said that the continuous inflow of water into the rivers would increase the underground water level in the province, benefiting the water supply in the long run.

Mr Khursheed visited various flood control structures, including Jalala flood bund, Chandian Dowel flood bund, and flood works of Deg Nullah at Kingra Bridge, to assess the situation and supervise flood management efforts.

Additionally, the South Punjab secretary of irrigation inspected Kaha hill torrent and its diversion to Kachhi and Dajal canals for irrigation. The situation remained under close monitoring as the authorities work to manage and respond to the ongoing floods and potential risks.

Published in Dawn, July 27th, 2023