BAHAWALPUR: Irrigation authorities and district administration took a sigh of relief as a reduced peak flow of 500,000 cusecs was expected to pass through Panjnad Headworks by Tuesday, according to the latest calculations made on Sunday night.

Though the floodwater downstream discharge at Panjnad Headworks has increased from last night’s 340,000 to 371,000 cusecs on Sunday night, the incoming downstream flow has considerably reduced.

The reduction in the floodwater, mainly of River Chenab, could be attributed to the breaches ordered by administration in Multan and other places, including Shershah. With these breaches, the floodwater has spread in the vast areas, easing pressure on Panjnad Headworks.

With this decrease, the looming threat to the headworks has apparently been averted.

Talking to Dawn on Sunday night, Bahawalpur zone irrigation Chief Engineer Malik Khurshead Zaman, who is permanently camped at the headworks to assess the flood situation, said although there was a reduction in the quantity of floodwater reaching Panjnad, its speed was very high.

According to him, with the opening of all the 47 spillways of the headworks, efforts were on to confine the floodwater within the embankments of Panjnad, avoiding the proposed breach in its right marginal dyke (RMD).

He said because of opening all the spillways the gushing waters also swept away the silt which could have hindered the peak flow.

The chief engineer said after the breaches caused in Multan area and some other places, a reduced peak flow of 500,000 cusecs was expected to reach Panjnad Headworks by Tuesday. Earlier estimates had warned of a peak flow of 600,000 to 700,000 cusecs at the headworks which was alarming for the department, he added.

Meanwhile, according to an ISPR release, army’s rescue and relief operation continued mainly in the flood-hit areas of Bahawalpur and Uch Sharif on Sunday.

It said that during the operation, seven army helicopters kept flying for 206 hours, besides 300 boats, rescuing 37,000 people and dropping 80 tonnes of ration for the people trapped in flood-hit areas.

Published in Dawn, September 15th, 2014