SUKKUR, March 19: At least 53 per cent less water flow was recorded in the River Indus at the Sukkur Barrage on Friday, forcing irrigation authorities to start rotation system in the canals.

A water emergency has been declared at the Sukkur Barrage and Guddu Barrage. Sources said the Punjab Irrigation Department closed the Chashma link canal one week later which resulted in an acute shortage of water in Sindh.

They said Irsa had directed the Punjab irrigation department to close the Chashma link canal some 20 days back but they reopened it after closure of one week. They said it was closed two days back.

The irrigation officials said at least 15,325 cusecs water was available upstream of the Sukkur Barrage on Friday out of which 400 cusecs went waste due to leakage while 840 cusecs was supplied to Balochistan.

At least 19,307 cusecs water was available upstream of the Guddu Barrage out of which 2,035 cusecs water was supplied to Balochistan and 1,500 cusecs to the Ghotki Feeder and 500 cusecs was the leakage. There was 2,100 cusecs water available upstream of the Kotri Barrage and zero discharge downstream.