ISLAMABAD, Sept 3: The federal government has issued a fresh warning to provincial irrigation authorities about a ‘very high flood’ that passed Head Marala in Punjab to hit Guddu barrage in six to eight days and higher than expected flows in Chenab river as result of heavy rains in India.
A senior official told Dawn on Sunday that a fresh advisory to provinces was issued by the Federal Flood Commission and the Indus River System Authority (Irsa) on a report submitted by Pakistan’s Indus Water Commission that about 300,000 cusec water has entered Pakistan owing heavy rains in Akhnoor region of India.
Due to heavy rains on the Pakistani side, about 400,000 cusec water crossed Head Marala on Sunday evening. More than 200,000 cusec at Marala is considered high flood and very high flood when it crosses 350,000 cusec. This would reach Guddu by Sept 9-10.
The official said the high flood water would enter River Indus from Punjnad in seven or eight days.
Responding to a question, the official said India had provided information about the flood in Chenab generated by heavy rains in Akhnoor in advance to Pakistan’s Indus Waters Commission as required under the 1960 treaty between the two countries and did not make any sudden release.
The official said the Guddu barrage was already facing a low-to-medium flood situation with flows touching 250,000 cusec on Sunday. He said the flows at Guddu would definitely cross 500,000 cusec (high flood) in about seven days. It would take another three days to reach Sukkur barrage and about eight days to reach Kotri.
He said the provincial irrigation authorities, civil defence and other agencies were already in the state of preparedness due to monsoon but it was customary for Irsa, Federal Flood Commission and the Indus Waters Commission to convey water situation to provincial and civil defence authorities.
The FFC sources said there were no immediate reports of loss of life and property but if India opted to release more water, it would be very devastating for Pakistan.
It is believed, he said, flows in Chenab on the Indian side were on the rise but India was bound under the treaty to provide advance information to Islamabad about the flood situation. He, however, agreed that India had made unannounced releases last year in Chenab.
Meanwhile, the sources said that Irsa has failed to submit its enquiry report to the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission on non-functioning of the telemetry system by Aug 31, 2006. When contacted, an Irsa official confirmed that the report could not be submitted owing to the absence of Irsa chairman who was currently in Australia.
He said a three-member committee had visited Qadirabad discharge point a couple of weeks ago to examine the site as a test case.
